Yeast Water and Making Bread

I like to create cookbooks. For myself. To give to a friend or two. Nothing commercial. I was in the process of finishing up a fairly large book of bread. Bread in all senses of that word, including muffins, quick breads, pancakes, yeast breads, flavored yeast breads, sourdough. And as I was finishing up my very long task, of course something new popped up on my horizon. Yeast Water. 

Yeast Water

My First Yeast Water Bread

Okay, I have been making yeast bread, mainly one recipe, since I was about 23. I am now 75. Somewhere around 2014, I was introduced to sourdough in a new way. I had tried it before, became disenchanted, let it lapse. Now I had a book by Peter Reinhart called The Baker's Apprentice, and he explained things in a way I hadn't ever understood before. I made sourdough from scratch. Perfect. Made bread. Sometimes it was great and others, well, definitely not. Ultimately, this also lapsed, as I grew tired of constantly tossing out starter to make new batches. And I know, nowadays there are recipes that abound for using sourdough discards. Some years ago, these were nowhere apparent. 

So, while looking for something else online, the words "yeast water" called my attention. This had nothing to do with what I was looking for, so I count this as pure serendipity. As I looked up yeast water, I found that there are possibly as many ways to make it as there are people and ideas. and what brings me here to write about it is simply because I read an article from King Arthur Flour about testing yeast water, and the comment that it takes longer to make than a starter with sourdough starter. 

I will disagree with this, simply because I have been following a method shown online in a video from a German woman and I have followed that as a pattern for all yeast water breads since. In all the places, at that time about 3 years ago, that I read of how to make yeast water, they all stated to use water as per your need, with extra to begin a new batch, add a teaspoon of sugar and some dried fruit. I have used dates, raisins, dried cherries and dried figs at different times, to date. I usually use three dates to approximately 3 to 4 cups of water. All these suggestions said that as soon as the fruit all floated, the yeast water was ready to use. 

The only other thing the German woman stated was that yeast water should be used in place of ALL water or liquid called for in the recipe. This means that if I use some of the yeast water to make a "starter," I need then to refresh the yeast water again to make enough for any other liquid called for in the recipe. The already live yeast water ferments again (with another teaspoon of sugar and another couple of dates) overnight very easily. Of course this all works best it it is made in a warm place. In summer my house is set at 79 or 80 degrees F. In winter, the oven with light on is a good substitute.

Creating a Starter

Flax Sunflower Yeast Water Bread

In general, I like breads that take many days to make. I realize this is not feasible for everyone. But between Peter Reinhart's information and other places I have read over these intervening 10+ years, long rises are what give flour time to absorb liquids better and coax out flavors that would never be there if making a bread all in one day. Plus, slow rising at room temperature brings out different flavors from those unlocked in a long, slow, cold-rise. I am no expert on the chemical processes taking place and why. But I can with great authority state that the flavors of some of these breads have been phenomenal.

So if a bread recipe calls for using a starter, prep your yeast water (1 to 2 days in a warm place, if it is with a batch you've kept in the fridge. Longer if it is starting from scratch. Shorter if it is mid summer and you're sweating standing still!) Just keep in mind about 4 cups water all total to begin, whether fresh with fresh water of part yeast water, part water. Add a teaspoon of sugar and 2 - 3 dates, cut up in chunks, or a small handful of raisins or other dried fruit. Stir this well. It is best to keep in a jar without a tight fitting lid. I have some bail wire jars, and remove the rubber gasket. Then, stir the mixture several times a day, or whenever you think about it. Once all the fruit rise to the surface, it is ready to use. 

Save the fruit! In any bread you're making, the fermented fruit can be added back into the bread dough and during kneading, it all but disappears. It adds a gentle fruitiness, but does not jump out with its flavor.

To make the starter, use about half yeast water and half flour, whether bread flour, whole wheat, rye or whatever you are working with. Stir well, cover and set aside in a warm place. It should be well risen by the following day. Meanwhile, use the remaining yeast water, add in more water, enough to cover any more liquids called for in the recipe with some left over, another teaspoon sugar and more fruit. Stir well. Shake or stir various times during the day, and by the following day it too should be ready to use. 

Sometimes recipes call for a soaker as well, so this can be made at the same time and both set to do their thing overnight. 

Making the Bread

When making your bread recipe, follow the instructions, simply substituting the refreshed yeast water for the liquid called for. To date, all the yeast water breads I have made have been ones calling for various rises, and taking three or four days to make in total. Warm rises, cold rises, great flavor and beautifully risen loaves. Most have been baked in my Dutch Oven. To date I have had zero failures. Best of all, no throwing sourdough starter discards down the drain.

Yeast Water Rye with Dried Cherries and Pumpkin Seeds

Here is a recipe that is a mashup of a couple of recipes I found online (not yeast water recipes) that I altered and mixed together to something that sounded really good to me. As it turned out, it is a fabulous bread, nicely dense and chewy as I love, wonderful alone, slathered with butter and/or jam, made into a sandwich, or a nice open-faced sandwich as it is hefty enough. It is easy to slice thinly if preferred (I do). Oh! And grilled cheese! It makes fabulous grilled cheese.

Yeast Water Rye with Dried Cherries and Pumpkin Seeds

Makes one loaf

DAY 1: Refresh Yeast Water
1 to 1 1/2 cups water
your existing yeast water
1 teaspoon sugar
2 - 3 chopped dates (or substitute 3 tablespoons dried tart cherries)

Stir this mixture often, over 12 to 24 hours and keeping in a warm place. Mixture should end with small bubbles and all the fruits floating.

DAY 2: Pre-Dough

150 grams bread flour

250 mL refreshed yeast water (about 1 cup)

Stir together until no dry ingredients remain. Cover and set in a warm place to ferment overnight. Meanwhile feed the yeast water again, to build up what will be needed for the main recipe.

DAY 3: Early morning: Main Dough - Autolyze

- all the pre-dough (above)

200 grams bread flour

200 grams sifted whole wheat flour

110 grams sifted rye flour

125 mL yeast water (scant 3/4 cup)

Place all these ingredients in a heavy-duty mixer or a bowl to mix by hand. Stir well until no dry ingredients remain. Cover and set aside 1 hour.

OTHER INGREDIENTS:

2 teaspoons Kosher salt

1 teaspoon gluten

1 teaspoon diastatic malt powder

2 tablespoons powdered milk

- the cherries from fermenting the yeast water, if they were used

3 tablespoons molasses

1/2 cup dried tart cherries

1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds

100 grams yeast water (about 1/2 cup)

During the autolyze period, measure out the 5 dry ingredients and set aside. Place the dried cherries and pumpkin seeds in a bowl with the yeast water to soak and soften.

Once ready to make the dough, add first the dry ingredients and begin mixing on low, then add in the leftover fermented cherries, yeast water-cherry-seed mixture and molasses. Mix slowly until the liquids are absorbed, then mix on medium speed for about 5 minutes.. Rest the cough, covered, for about 20 minutes. Turn out to a greased surface and perform a stretch-and-fold: take the dough from one edge and stretch upwards, lengthening the dough and then folding it back onto itself. Turn the dough 1/4 way around and stretch and fold again. Turn 1/4 more, stretch and fold, then one more 1/4 turn and stretch and fold. This begins to form the gluten without over mixing. Grease the dough, cover and rest 20 to 30 minutes and repeat this same stretch and fold. Then rest and repeat stretching and folding twice more, a total of 4 times altogether.

Now turn dough over, seam side down, and beginning with cupped hands behind the dough, begin dragging the dough towards you, tightening the dough from its base. Turn the dough a little, and repeat the cupped hands, dragging the dough towards you from each side. This makes the dough very taut, and helps it to create a nice high rise.

Prepare a banneton with a mix of half flour and half rice flour, or heavily dust a smooth tea towel lined bowl. Set the loaf into the prepared banneton or bowl with the seam side upwards. Set the bowl into a food safe large plastic bag and close it off with plenty of air inside keeping the top from touching the dough. Place in the refrigerator overnight

 

DAY 4: Bake

When ready to bake, place an enameled cast iron Dutch oven with its lid on into the oven and set to 450F. Time this for 30 minutes to get the pot screaming hot.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator just before the pot is ready. Place a large sheet of parchment over the banneton/bowl. Set a pizza pan over top and invert the dough with the parchment onto the pan. Score the top of the loaf with a baker's lame or razor blade or a very sharp knife. A simple pound sign will do.

With heavy oven mitts, remove the Dutch oven to the stove top. Remove lid and set aside on another burner. Lift the dough into the pot by holding the parchment at its corners and place into the pot, parchment and all. Cover with the lid and back into the oven. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, depending on how dark you like your loaves. Once done, Remove the pot carefully with oven mitts. Use a long metal spatula to help lift the loaf out; set it onto a rack to cool at least 2 hours before slicing.

My Bread Odyssey and Tribute to Mom

I love making bread. I've been making all our family's bread since back in the early 1970s, living in Guatemala. The only bread recipe I had at that time was my Mom's (and before her, Grandma's) bread that she made for Easter, Thanksgiving or Christmas, and sometimes, if we were lucky, other times as well. It was something I watched her make all through my young life, before marrying and moving to Guatemala. I don't believe she knew any other recipe for bread, but it was so exceptionally good that it made no difference. I adopted it as our daily bread, and we just never get tired of it - it's just that good. An enriched dough, with milk, butter, eggs and sugar, it rises beautifully, makes fabulous sandwiches, toast or French Toast.

My Kitchen Aid Mixer Bread

The late '80s and '90s

When we moved back to the States, I continued making Mom's bread, and over the years, made small changes; things that didn't change the great taste or texture. I used powdered milk, instead of scalding 3 cups of milk and waiting for it to cool. I used honey instead of sugar. I used whole eggs instead of just the yolks. And as bread flour became available, started using that. Then my new husband bought me a bread machine from DAK. I managed to halve Mom's recipe to use in the machine, but never liked how it baked in there, so after the machine's kneading and proofing, I'd form it and bake in the oven. Despite all that, the poor bread machine was so overworked that it died after 2 years! DAK's machine came with a little recipe booklet, and I adopted and adapted some of those recipes, changing them to suit and also baking in the oven. My Double Chocolate Bread and Herbed Onion Bread are results of my tinkering. And eventually, the gift of a Kitchen Aid Mixer had me revamping Mom's bread to using the mixer.

Herbed Onion Loaf

Then somewhere along the way, I found a book with some interesting bread recipes, and started trying some of them out. There were lots of them with additions like dried fruits, nuts, other flavorings and such. While they were delicious, most times the bread took forever to rise and often resulted in under baked loaves, despite following the recipes assiduously. I didn't know what was the problem.

The 2000s

Then in early 2014, my sister-in-law, Curator of Education at the Dacotah Prairie Museum in Aberdeen, SD, brought me a stack of cookbooks someone had donated to the museum. I started out with one of them and haven't looked back: The Bread Baker's Apprentice, by Peter Reinhart. I have come a very long way in my knowledge and understanding of bread, dough and how they work since then. My entire focus has shifted. Over the years, I have become so enamored with the different whole grain breads, finding out about long, slow rising periods and resulting enhanced flavor. I love anything that helps with eating more naturally, and using whole grains in bread is certainly better, in that sense. I have never entirely converted my husband. He loves white bread. 

During the next phase, and Reinhart's book, "Bread Revolution," while visiting the local health food store searching for malted grains, I got chatting with the store manager and he told me about a bread he was experimenting with, using a Tangzhong starter, and even printed his recipe for me. Finding that it was a white bread, I opted to set the recipe aside and finally, forgot about it.

Poilane Style Miche, from "The Bread Baker's Apprentice"

Since watching The Great British Baking Show/Bake Off, I have also learned a lot about bread making from Paul Hollywood's comments on the show, and also discovered that kneading "for 10 to 12 minutes" is not necessarily enough to got the dough to pass the "windowpane" test. For me, kneading a whole grained loaf requires up to 20 minutes of kneading time to pass the test. I discovered that this was truly the biggest difference to getting my breads to rise properly.

This past year, though I had gotten my husband to eat my whole grain breads, he has been suffering tooth problems and wasn't able to chew well. As thing deteriorated, and with his fear of COVID while going to a dentist, it got to a point where he truly couldn't chew. My hearty whole grain breads were inedible for him. I went back to a modified version of my Mom's bread, adding just a little whole wheat, slightly less butter and sugar. It worked.

2021 - Full Circle

My husband and I were watching Paul Hollywood's program, City Bakes, and we came to where he spends some time in Japan. After lamenting that Japan really isn't known for bread, he comes across some bakeries, and discovers Japan's Shokupan, or Milk Loaf. Hearing Paul describe the method of making this bread, I exclaimed, "That's the kind of bread that guy in the health food store in Aberdeen gave me the recipe for!"

The whole thing about this type of bread is the "starter," for want of a better word. It is not a sourdough, but it is a pre-mix that helps the dough retain moisture and gives this bread a pillowy soft texture. I decided to try it out, mainly for my husband (who had the offending teeth pulled and is still needing soft food). I went online and searched. Surprisingly, while there were quite a few recipes for Japanese Milk Bread, not many of them actually used the pre-starter, opting to omit that step. This made me wonder why one would even call it by that name? 

Apparently there are two methods to this bread's starter. According to Chopstick Chronicles, The Tangzhong method uses a starter that is 5 parts liquid to one part flour. This is cooked to 150 degrees F, cooled and the dough is made and baked as usual. The Yudaine method, uses a 1:1 ratio of flour to water, simply pouring boiling water over the flour and mixing to a dough-like consistency and refrigerating overnight. The bread is made the following day (though she does say it is possibly to make the bread after only a couple of hours of resting the starter.

Yudaine Shokupan from Chopstick Chronicles

I actually made this recipe from Chopstick Chronicles as my second attempt (since it called for an overnight rest for the starter and I wanted one to make right away!) and it also came out beautifully, though I also had to add a little more water (10 grams) to the starter (to counteract this Arizona dry climate). The actual recipe, for just one loaf, is a far smaller recipe, but comes out equally well.

I wanted to make a batch right away, so I opted first to try a recipe by Julia Moskin in the Cooking section of the New York Times. She makes the Tangzhong starter, but then divides the starter in half, using only one half of it, leaving the rest for another loaf. I opted to just double the bread recipe and use all the starter. She also uses a fair amount of sugar and yeast, so I lowered those amounts. Adjustments were needed in her recipe: the dough is described as very wet and too difficult to be kneaded by hand. Mine came out so stiff there was no way it was going to be a soft bread. I added a full 1/2 cup more of both water and milk to proceed; this could be that I live in Arizona - most recipes require more liquid. This is what I did:

Tangzhong Milk Bread

Tangzhong Milk Bread

Makes 2 loaves

STARTER:
120 grams water: 1/2 cup
120 grams milk: 1/2 cup
45 grams bread flour: about 1/3 cup

In a small saucepan, whisk these ingredients until smooth, then over medium heat, cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens slightly and is still pourable. Pour the starter into a bowl and place cling film directly onto the surface to prevent it forming a skin as it cools. Cool to room temperature before proceeding. 

CAVEAT: If the mixture is too stiff, add in a second 120 grams of liquid.

For the DOUGH:
1 large egg
650 grams bread flour (about 5 cups)
30 grams granulated sugar (about 3 tablespoons
10 grams instant / quick-rise yeast (1 tablespoon)
8 grams salt (about 1 teaspoon)
60 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature, soft (4 tablespoons)
-------
(1/2 cup milk - if the dough is too stiff)

Dough like stiff batter

Pour the starter mixture into the bowl of a heavy duty stand mixer and add in the remaining ingredients, except the last half cup of milk. Start the mixer on lowest speed until mixture is combined, stopping to scrape down if needed. At this point the dough should be quite loose. If it is not, add in the half cup of extra milk and again mix slowly until combined. Now, raise the mixer speed to 4 or 5 and mix for 20 minutes. The very loose dough should instead be nearly a stiff batter (see photo). Scrape the dough into a greased bowl, then lightly oil the top. Cover well and set aside to rise until doubled, 40 to 60 minutes.

Grease two loaf pans, approximately 9 x 5 inches. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and punch down well. The dough will be very springy and yet easy to handle. Divide into two equal pieces, by weight. Cover them well and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes. This helps to relax the dough, slightly.

Further divide one piece of the dough into two equal pieces, by weight. Roll out one piece into a rough rectangle about 6 x 10 inches. With the shorter edge towards you, fold in each side to the center, slightly overlapping. Start rolling up the dough tightly, keeping edges neat as possible. Pinch the last edge to seal and set into one end of one of the greased loaf pans, seam side down.

Repeat with the other half of this section of the dough and set into the opposite end of the same loaf pan, seam side down. 

Do the same thing with the other half of the dough, dividing into two equal pieces, rolling out, tucking in sides, rolling and setting into each end of the second loaf pan. Lightly oil the tops of the dough, then cover with cling film and set aside to rise. The dough will be ready to bake once it reaches the top of the pans, about 45 minutes. If desired, and for a very deep colored and shiny top, brush the tops of the loaves with an egg wash made of 1 yolk and 1 tablespoon water.

Have oven preheated to 350 degrees F. Bake the loaves for about 30 to 40 minutes. If you have an instant-read thermometer, internal temperature should be between 95 to 105 degrees F. Turn out and allow to cool completely before slicing. Bread will be exceedingly soft. Unless you have a very sharp bread knife, do not try to cut the bread on the same day. With a good, sharp bread knife, use a back and forth sawing motion, very gently, with no pressure, to cut without crushing the bread.

My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Guatemalan Dessert Favorites

Molletes

Guatemalans seem to make the very best use of any ingredient, and that includes using unlikely things to make into desserts. Take Plantains. They are used green as a "vegetable" side dish; medium-ripe, simply cooked, they are perfect as a side with black beans; really ripe and fried are great on their own for dessert and then comes magic. They are used sweet as Plantains in Mole Sauce for an amazing flavor sensation. Or used for Rellenitos de Platano, those amazing little fried ovals of pureed plantain with a surprise inside!

This magic is also done with homely yucca root, or squash (not too surprising as we do have Pumpkin Pie). And then bread. Bread, you ask? Well, I do love bread pudding, so I guess it's no surprise that I have always loved a dessert they call Molletes en Dulce. Molletes (pronounced "moy-YET-ez") are a particular type of bread from the Guatemalan "sweet bread/roll" panoply. An enriched bread, with a little sugar, shortening and eggs, these are delicious all on their own, smeared with a little butter and eaten with coffee or with black beans, or however/whenever you choose. And then as inevitably will happen, if they are somehow left over, rather than let them go stale and thrown out, they are turned into dessert. 

Pan Frances or French Bread

Now, a caveat. In all the 12 years I spent in Guatemala, I never, ever had Molletes en Dulce made with actual Molletes! Instead, and likely because it was more common for the "Pan Frances (their French Breads) to be left over than the Molletes, the cook made this same recipe but using the portions of Pan Frances instead. It was delicious, and a favorite dessert. Just not made with Molletes. Confusing to me at the time. 

Since in the U.S. we do not have this kind of Pan Frances, with its individually marked portions, I have made similar use of a narrow loaf of French bread, cutting it into chunks of like size, about 2 x 2 x 3-inches, approximately. Hollow out a core of the bread and fill with thick cream and raisins and proceed. It works. It's really good. But when I made Molletes last November, I decided at long last to make Molletes en Dulce. WITH Molletes!

Molletes en Dulce

Molletes en Dulce

Serves 6

1¾ cups sugar
2½ cups water
1 (4-inch) piece true cinnamon
6 molletes or other breads, about 1 to 2 ounces each, slightly dried
½ cup Mexican cream, or sour cream
18 raisins
2 eggs, separated
1 tablespoon flour
1 - 2 tablespoons oil or shortening for frying
slivered almonds, to adorn

In a large, wide pot, bring the first 3 ingredients to boil, lower to simmer and cook gently for about 20 to 30 minutes.

If actually using molletes, take out a piece from the top of each, creating a little

Cutt center from Mollete

lid, and widen the hole inside the bread. Divide cream between the wells, insert 3 raisins in each and then set the lid back on. If using French bread chunks, cut a slice into the bread, widening the hole as needed to insert the cream. Set 3 raisins into the cream.

Whip the egg whites until stiff. Separately, whip the egg yolks until they are pale yellow and drip down in ribbons from the beater or whisk. Fold the yolks into the whites, and then fold in about a tablespoon of flour to give body to the mixture.

Dip each filled piece of bread into the beaten egg mixture, till completely covered, and then fry these on all sides in the shortening in a large frying pan, turning to get the egg done on all sides. When completely fried, and thus sealed, set them gently into the simmering syrup. Gently simmer the molletes in the syrup for 20 - 30 minutes or longer. Serve adorned with almonds.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Another use for leftover "sweet (enriched) breads" was called Boca de Reina, or Bocado de Reina. While I never once saw this dessert made anywhere but in a pastry shop, it was still one I completely fell in love with. The name means something like "A Queen's Bite or a Queen's Snack." A snack fit for a Queen would be another way to term this dessert. In the 1970s, when I was in Guatemala, my husband took me to this one pastry shop occasionally for a little sweet bite and often this was my choice. At that time, in that pastry shop, this dessert was a piece of cake that was amazingly good. Moist and tender, subtly flavored. I couldn't put a finger on what might be in it. I asked, and was told it was a cake made from leftover breads, made into crumbs. 

I returned to the U.S. once and for all in the early 1980s. Never once did I have this dessert again, nor ever heard of it anywhere, and pretty soon it was completely gone from memory.

Until.

When my oldest daughter was turning 40, I created a "Cookbook/Memoir" of all things Guatemalan that I could recall. All my children were born there, though the youngest, 3 years old at the time, remembers nothing of it. The oldest, at 10, remembered well. I found photos online of places we'd been and foods she'd known, recipes I had made and some I hadn't but still held on to. It was great. And then my son was turning 40 a few years ago, and while what I made for my daughter was good at the time, I had a LOT of new ideas and recipes I recalled while researching others, many I had actually tried out since that first book came to be. And this Bocado de Reina came into my mind. I searched online for a recipe, at least an idea. The ONLY thing that comes up when searching Guatemalan recipes and Bocado de Reina is some kind of banana bread/pudding.

I can say with 100% certainty, the Bocado de Reina I ate at that pastry shop, did NOT have bananas in it. 

My memory said that it was a darkish color, but not dark like chocolate cake. The cake had a wonderful, moist crumb. It was served cut into a square and set on a muffin paper to display. As I said, the flavors were elusive. 

Okay, so the one thing I knew was that it was made (at that pastry shop) with crumbs of day-old bread. And if that was the "flour", then I would just have to add in other cake-like ingredients. But what gave it the dark color? I know that chocolate was also not a flavor that I can recall from that cake. Yet. . . I wondered if using a small amount of Guatemalan / Mexican chocolate tablets, such as Ibarra or Abuelita, pre-sweetened and with cinnamon in them, maybe I could get this cake to have more color, while t the same time without it actually tasting of chocolate. I had just been making some of the Guatemalan breads, testing them out to see what I could use for recipes in my son's version of the Guatemalan Cookbook / Memoir. I had some leftover Molletes and Rosquitas. I went to work. 

Bocado de Reina

At a remove of 32 years from the last possible time I might have eaten this cake, I made my own version. I cannot in any way say for certain that this tastes perfectly of the Bocado de Reina I ate long years ago in Guatemala, but it fit all my remembered criteria, and it truly tastes fabulous. While maybe not 100% Guatemalan, here is my Bocado de Reina:

Bocado de Reina

Bocado de Reina

Makes one 9 x 9 cake

1½ cups (12 ounces) heavy cream
1 cup (7.3 ounces) sugar
1/3 cup (1.7 ounces) sweetened Mexican or Guatemalan chocolate, finely grated
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon true cinnamon (Ceylon, or Mexican)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
¾ cup (3.5 ounces) raisins
3 cups (8.35 ounces) “day old” enriched bread, made into crumbs
¼ cup (1.16 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon (0.18 ounces) baking powder

Make bread crumbs from rich breads such as brioche, molletes, wafer cookies, animal crackers or a combination. They should not all be completely dried out. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 x 8 or 9 x 9-inch baking dish; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the cream, sugar, chocolate, salt, cinnamon, vanilla and eggs. Add in the raisins and bread crumbs and allow to soak for a few minutes. Stir together the flour and baking powder and stir in. Pour the batter into the baking dish and bake for about 40 to 50 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center comes out almost clean. A few remaining crumbs are okay. Cool completely. Dust the top with confectioners’ sugar if desired. 


My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Making Bread is So Satisfying

I was testing bread recipes a couple of weeks ago, wanting to have some breads on hand over the holidays. One of these was the result of an accident. I made the wrong kind of starter for a recipe I intended to make. Then I was stuck with the starter and wondering what to do, and a though occurred, so I pursued this thought and it came out lovely and delicious!

Italian Style Bread as loaves

The accidental starter was a Poolish Starter, which is rather thin and runny in comparison to some others like Biga or Pâte Fermentée, both of which are more like a bread dough themselves. A Poolish is like some sourdough starters in consistency, which starts out like thick pancake batter and after fermentation turns out in long sticky strands. It generally uses an almost equal amount by weight of flour and water, with a little yeast to get the process going. The difference between a Sourdough starter and a Poolish is that the Sourdough is truly fermented and over time becomes soured. How sour it stays will depend on how much flour and water is added to refresh the starter. The Poolish on the other hand, is only just allowed to rise once, refrigerated, then used within 3 days. Its souring effect is mostly nil, but the pre-fermentation and then the cold storage unlocks a lot of flavors that would not be available to the bread if just made in a one day process.

Okay, so that is an explanation of what a Poolish does. Here is the recipe for a Poolish, enough for the Italian Style Bread recipe, below:

Poolish Starter

Makes about 23 ounces 

Make at least one day ahead

11.25 ounces unbleached bread flour
12 ounces water, room temperature
¼ teaspoon instant / rapid rise yeast

Stir the three ingredients together until all the flour is moistened. Cover the bowl with plastic film and set aside at room temperature until it is bubbly and about doubled, about 3 or 4 hours. Refrigerate the Poolish overnight or for up to three days.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Italian Style Bread as Rolls

To make the Italian style bread out of this Poolish simply requires bringing the Poolish to room temperature on the day of making the bread, and then adding in the ingredients to make the final dough. Quite simple. Truly delicious. I have been mostly making whole grain breads for our general consumption, but some of our guests over the holidays do not care for the whole grain breads. From this bread recipe it is possible to get two long, freestanding loaves or 16 individual rolls of about 2.5 ounces each.

Italian Style Bread

Makes 2 long loaves or 16 rolls


All the Poolish starter
11.65 ounces / 330 grams / 2½ cups bread flour
0.20 ounces / 5 grams / 1½ teaspoons salt
0.15 ounces / 3 grams / 1 teaspoon instant yeast
0.5 ounces / 1 tablespoon olive oil
4 ounces <2 tablespoons / 3.5 ounces water

Windowpane Test

The day of making the bread, remove the Poolish from the refrigerator at least an hour ahead, or more, to take off the chill. Pour all the Poolish into a large bowl, then add in the flour, then add the salt to one side and the yeast to the other side. Pour in the olive oil and begin stirring, adding in the water to bring together. Use a wooden spoon at first, switching to hands once it becomes too difficult to stir. It may help to moisten hands while working with the dough. Once the mixture begins to come together in one mass, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and begin kneading for about 12 minutes, or until the dough passes the windowpane test as shown here. Taking a small piece of dough, stretch it gently until light can be seen through the thinned dough, without breaking or tearing. If it tears easily, knead some more, until this is achieved.

Oil a clean bowl and set the kneaded bread into the bowl, turning over once to leave both sides of the dough greased. Cover with plastic film and set aside to rise until just about doubled in size, about 2 hours, depending on ambient temperature. A finger lightly pressed into the risen dough should leave a small indent that still springs back - not completely, but mostly.

FOR LOAVES: Turn the risen dough out and lightly degas. If making two long loaves, divide the dough evenly into two pieces using a dough cutter. Flatten one half into a rectangle, then begin rolling up tightly, tucking either end in slightly as you roll. Once you reach the other edge, pinch the seam together, then set onto a large parchment lined baking sheet, on one side. Roll the second piece of dough and set at least 4 inches apart from the first loaf on the baking sheet. Mist with oil and cover with plastic film. Allow to rise again until almost doubled in size.

Have the oven preheated to 500 degrees. Have a heavy oven safe pan set on the broiler rack, and the other rack set so the bread is at about the center of the oven. Have 1 cup of hot water ready. When bread is ready to bake, slash the loaves twice lengthwise. Set the pan on the lower rack in the oven and pour the cup of hot water in the pan on the broiler rack. Immediately lower the oven temperature to 400 degrees and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. The bread should be nicely browned and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Internal temperature should be at least 200 degrees F.

Italian Style Bread in Knots

FOR ROLLS: Degas the dough slightly, then begin measuring out pieces of dough of about 2.5 ounces apiece, or if gauging by eye, cut into 16 equal pieces. Form into taught balls for round rolls or form into taught torpedo shapes, setting the rolls onto a large, greased baking sheet or two as needed (or line the sheets with parchment). I formed my rolls into "knots."

To make "knots," roll each piece of dough into a long, 10 or 11-inch length rope. Begin to tie a regular knot by looping the ends round each other. There should be room in the center of the loop created. Take the two ends and loop each around the circle once more, so one end sticks out the bottom and one loop sticks out of the top. Set each finished knot onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving at least 2 inches between rolls. Allow the rolls to rise until nearly doubled.

Have the oven heated to 375 degrees with a rack towards the center of the oven. If desired use an egg wash to make the surfaced shiny. Combine one egg with a tablespoon of water and whisk briefly to combine. Using a pastry brush, carefully paint the tops of the rolls with the egg wash, being careful the wash does not run underneath the roll or it will glue itself to the pan.

Bake the rolls for approximately 15 minutes, or until golden and sounding hollow when tapped on the bottoms.



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Revisiting an Old Bread Recipe

Sometimes, I go back and take a look at an old recipe, seeing it with more current eyes. In this case, a Multi-Grain and Seed Bread recipe I created in 2013, that, outside of the grains and seeds, was all white flour. Since these past years I have been grinding my own grains for bread and other recipes, I have looked at substituting whole grains here and there, whenever possible.

So it came about that I decided yesterday to update this old recipe, one that I have wanted to post here in my blog for some time. For one thing, I have been trying to get very comfortable with weighing my ingredients instead of only measuring by volume. It gives consistently better results, and is easier for others to get the same results. 

Multi Grain and Seed Bread

I was already planning to make another bread recipe (which I did today) from another of Peter Rheinart's books, "Whole Grain Breads." Most of the recipes in this book (if not all) require at least 2 days to make, first making a pre-ferment such as a Biga, or refreshing my old starter and getting that going to be ready a day ahead. Other things, such as soakers (soaking the grain, or crushed grain, flour, seeds, etc) also require an overnight time period. The actual bread is made the following day. The pre-ferment and pre-soak are what unlock the flavors inside the grain, giving the final bread a tremendous boost in flavor. I started the Biga and Soaker yesterday and made that whole grain bread today, and it's still cooling so I have yet to taste it.

Yesterday though, while I already had the whole wheat freshly ground (and sifted to remove some of the coarser bran flakes for Rheinart's recipe), I opted to use only half the white bread flour called for in my old multi-grain recipe, substituting the freshly milled whole grain flour for the rest. The bread came out amazingly good. Just as soft and delicious as the all white flour version of old. I also measured everything out in grams, to have those measurements at hand. Here is my result:

Multi Grain and Seed Bread

Makes 2 or 3 loaves 

Multi Grain and Seed Bread

280 grams sifted whole wheat flour (about 2 cups)
325 grams bread flour (about 2¼ cups)
120 grams Bob's Red Mill 7-grain hot cereal, uncooked (¾ cup)
1 packet instant yeast, 7 grams
120 ml olive oil (½ cup)
7 grams salt (1½ teaspoons)
595 ml warm water (2½ cups)
30 ml honey (2 tablespoons)
68 grams raw sunflower seeds (½ cup)
55 grams unhulled "brown" sesame seeds (6 tablespoons)
4 grams gluten (2 teaspoons)

Heat the water to just warm and add in the multi-grain cereal, the oil and the honey and set aside to soak while gathering the dry ingredients.

If using a heavy duty stand mixer, place all dry ingredients into the bowl of the mixer, attach the dough hook, pour in the liquid mixture and start on very low speed to combine ingredients, then increase speed to 2 or whichever speed will knead the dough properly for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove dough hook and allow to rise until about doubled in bulk, about 1½ hours.

If mixing by hand, place all dry ingredients into a large bowl and add in the liquid mixture, stirring at first to bring together. Turn out onto a clean, greased surface and knead for 12 minutes until the dough is elastic and smooth. Set into a large greased bowl to rise as above.

Once risen, turn the dough out of the bowl onto a very lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into two or three equal parts. 

For two loaves: Prepare either a long French bread pan with room for two loaves or a large baking sheet by spraying with cooking spray and sprinkling with cornmeal, or wheat or oat bran. Form the dough halves into long, thin loaves and set onto prepared pan. If using a baking sheet, place the loaves lengthwise, and well separated. Allow to rise again for about 45 minutes in a warm place, until nearly doubled in bulk. Heat oven to 375 degrees (350 on Convection). If desired, using a very sharp knife or a baker's lame, make diagonal slashes on top of the loaves. Bake the loaves for about 25 - 30 minutes, or until golden and have reached an internal temperature of at least 195 degrees F.

For three loaves: Prepare either a baking sheet to accommodate three very narrow, thin baguette loaves, or three loaf pans by greasing and sprinkling with wheat bran or cornmeal. Set the narrow baguette shapes at least 3-inches apart on a baking sheet. Or, make loaf shapes and set into the pans. Let rise until just about doubled in size. Slash the loaves if desired, using a bakers' lame or a very sharp knife, then set into the preheated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, checking the internal temperature for doneness. 


My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Just Because Sometimes White Breads are Delicious

I know I have been all about whole grains and seeds, and particularly in breads. But, you know, sometimes there are some old recipes that just taste so terribly good. How could I let them slip away? I really cannot. And so, I am revisiting some oldies that I have been making for at least 20+ years. Not all the time. But just - sometimes. And these two recipes are so marvelous. And so different.

One of the breads is fantastic due to all the added flavors. The other is fantastic for just the opposite reason; no particular flavors added, so it is so great with highly flavored foods. Think spaghetti or lasagna, maybe? 

The first bread is one I started making, with my own changes, since I read it in one of the booklets that came with my very first DAK Bread Machine, way back in the '90s. I loved the result, though I had a hard time ever getting the breads to bake properly inside the bread maker, so instead I would let the kneading happen and then turn out and finish it by hand and bake in the oven. Later on, after reading the ingredients in the packet of onion soup mix, I opted to create my own recipe for a Dry Onion Soup Mix. The bread is so jam-packed with flavor with all the herbs and the dry onion soup that it is wonderful all on its own, but it makes some truly great sandwiches, also.

Herbed Onion Loaf

Herbed Onion Loaf

Makes 2 loaves

Herbed Onion Loaf

¼ cup water
¾ cup cottage cheese
¾ cup sour cream
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 envelope dry onion soup mix, or use one recipe of my Dry Onion Soup Mix
1½ tablespoons unsalted butter
3⅓ cups bread flour
1 packet "instant" or "quick-rise" yeast
¼ teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons gluten, optional
1 large egg
2 - 3 tablespoons finely minced fresh herbs (such as dillweed, rosemary and/or thyme)

Mix together the water, cottage cheese, sour cream, sugar, dry onion soup mix and butter and bring to lukewarm, either in a saucepan on the stove or in the microwave. Do not over-heat. Pour this mixture into the bowl of a heavy duty mixer with bread hook. If making by hand, pour into a large bowl.

Separately, whisk together in another bowl the bread flour, yeast, soda and gluten, if using, along with the fresh minced herbs. Pour these dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and begin mixing together slowly. If by hand, you might start with a spoon, then switch to hands to knead. Add in the egg and mix well. Knead by machine for about 8 minutes. If kneading by hand, knead for 10 to 12 minutes. If the dough starts to climb up the dough hook, or if it is very dense and hard when kneading by hand, dribble in a little water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough becomes soft, a bit tacky but not sticky. If the dough is too wet, add in a little flour, 2 tablespoons at a time, until the dough comes together, smooth, a bit tacky but not sticky. 

Grease another bowl and gather the dough together into a neat ball and place into the bowl, turning once to grease all sides. Cover with a towel or plastic film and set aside to rise to about doubled in size.

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal sized balls. Roll up each ball into a loaf shape and set into two greased loaf pans or roll them out into more elongated loaves and set onto a parchment lined baking sheet, set well apart (or onto two smaller parchment lined sheets). If making dinner rolls, divide each half of the dough into 12 pieces and roll into balls. Set the balls into greased muffin tin wells or, well-spaced, onto parchment lined sheets. Cover and let rise until doubled. 

Have oven preheated to 350 degrees. Bake freestanding loaves for 25 to 30 minutes, loaves in pans may take 5 or more minutes longer, to an internal temperature of about 195 degrees F. Dinner rolls will bake in about 15 minutes.

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The second bread is fantastic due to its lack of added flavors, making the bread itself wonderfully flavorful in all its "bread-ness," but also making it a superb pairing with anything with lots of highly flavored sauce. It is an Italian style bread, and also a soured bread. It is up to your own discretion how long to allow the souring to go on, from one to three days, before working with the bread. Not a true sourdough in the sense of using a starter that is maintained and fed regularly, but a one-time sourdough, nonetheless. Any time bread is left to develop flavors this way, it unlocks things inside the wheat that bring out new and different flavors than would have been there if just made straight through in one day. Just be sure to plan ahead for when the bread will be needed, from one to three days.

Italian Bread

Italian Bread

Italian Bread

Makes 2 loaves

STARTER:
1 cup water
1 cup bread flour
1 packet (2½ teaspoons) "instant" or "quick rise" yeast 

DOUGH:
1 cup water
3½ cups bread flour
1¼ teaspoons instant or quick rise yeast
1 teaspoon salt

cornmeal for sprinkling

MAKE STARTER: Place the 1 cup of water into a large mixing bowl. Stir together the 1 packet instant yeast and the 1 cup bread flour, then add to the water in the bowl and stir well, about 4 or 5 minutes. Cover with plastic film and set aside in a room temperature place for 1 to 3 days. At this point it should have risen, become bubbly and possibly fallen again. It will smell yeasty and possibly with an alcoholic tang to the smell. 

French Bread Pan

MAKE THE DOUGH: Add the extra 1 cup of water to the soured mixture and stir. Separately, stir together the additional 1¼ teaspoon instant yeast and the 3½ cups bread flour with the salt, then stir this into the bowl with the soured mixture until the mixture comes together, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes. Coat a large bowl with olive oil, then set the kneaded dough into the bowl, turning once to coat all sides. Cover the bowl and let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours. 

If you own a French bread pan, spray the pan with cooking spray, then sprinkle well with cornmeal. If you do not own this type of pan, spray a rimmed baking sheet (or two, if small) with cooking spray and coat with cornmeal. 

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and cut the dough into two equal pieces. Form each piece into a long loaf and set into the wells of the French bread pan or onto the prepared baking sheet(s), well apart. Cover and allow to rise until doubled, about 1½ or 2 hours.

Have the oven preheated to 350 degrees. Bake the risen loaves for about 30 minutes, or until nicely golden. Cool thoroughly before cutting.


My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

A Love of Whole Grain Bread

Over the years, I have come to love whole grain breads more and more. I am even beginning to get my husband to at least tolerate or like them. So, when we were recently in Las Vegas, we happened upon an Irish Pub called "Ri Ra" and they served us a soda bread that was just so good I could hardly credit its flavor or moistness. My husband was quite taken with the bread also, and I asked about the recipe. The server said the chef would not divulge the recipe, but he said he knew for sure that they used whole grain wheat, rolled oats, honey and eggs.
 

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Soda Bread

I took this as a personal challenge.

As soon as I got home, I attempted a loaf. It came out quite well, but we both felt it needed to be just a little sweeter, and from the photos I took of the bread at the Pub, mine definitely needed more oats. Back to the drawing board. 

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Soda Bread

My second attempt, only a couple of days after making the first (if the first loaf wasn't perfect, neither was it inedible 😉), came out quite a bit better. I may, or may not do any more tweaking of the recipe, because this second loaf was quite lovely and very, very good. 

You have to like whole grains, for sure, but I do feel this is a loaf worth trying, most particularly if you have the ability to grind your own wheat. I am not sure it would be remotely as good if you bought pre-ground "whole wheat" flour. I have repeatedly found what a difference it makes to be able to grind my own wheat (or rye, or Kamut, or buckwheat, or anything else), versus buying pre-ground "whole-grain" flours. I put those words in quotes, because I have read that factories grind wheat into white flour, separating out all bran and germ, then only add back in what they estimate is needed to recreate a "whole-grain" flour for commercial sale. That really gripes me. While grinding my own grains at home means I will have a more "grainy" (pardon the pun) loaf, then so be it, but the flavor factor goes up by miles. 

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Soda Bread

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Soda Bread

Makes one loaf 

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats (85 grams)
1½ cups buttermilk (350 ml) 
2¼ cups whole wheat flour (300 grams)*
¼ cup all-purpose flour (33 grams)
2 teaspoons baking soda (15 grams)
½ teaspoon salt (3 grams)
2 large eggs
4 tablespoons honey (60 grams)
3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter (42 grams)
1½ tablespoons flax seeds (18 g), optional
1½ tablespoons raw, hulled sunflower seeds (15 g), optional

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 5 x 2½-inch loaf pan.

Stir together the buttermilk and oats and set aside for about 15 minutes or so, while preparing the other ingredients. 

In a large bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda and salt. Combine the melted butter and honey and add to the bowl, along with the buttermilk-oatmeal mixture and eggs. Stir until all dry ingredients are moistened. Pour into the prepared loaf pan and bake the loaf for approximately one hour, or until the internal temperature reaches 200 degrees, using an instant-read thermometer. Set the pan to cool for 10 minutes before turning the loaf out onto a rack to cool completely before slicing.

*Note: If desired, substitute ⅔ cup (50 g) white rye or plain all-purpose flour for part of the whole wheat flour. This would make the amount of whole wheat flour to be 250 grams.


My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.