Bread’s dough appeal

THE smell of bread baking in the oven greets me first thing every morning.

It is one of the most pleasant parts of my day and makes the early start worth it. Once I drag myself out of bed and cycle across town, as the cold gray sunlight starts to peep through the clouds, I look forward to arriving at the gates of the cafe, to the warm welcoming smells from the oven.

In fact as I turn into the laneway where we are located, the smell of bread wafts out to meet me and our first customers and neighbours always comment on how inviting it is.

Monika, our baker, is nearly finished her day as I arrive to set-up. She is usually taking the final loaves out of the oven and putting the finishing touches to the cakes before she leaves.

Bread has long been a major part of our food history and has an important cultural significance as well as a nutritional one in many parts of the world. It is heart warming to hear that the word companion means “with bread” in Latin; com meaning “with” and panis “bread”.

The oldest records of bread-making are from the Stone Age when man began to make flour by crushing grains from wild grasses by hand between two stones. The flour produced was then mixed with water to make a dough and cooked over an open fire. It did not make the nicest of breads, but it was the start in a long and joyous history of bread making.

I have included a few different bread recipes here. There is something very tactile and therapeutic about kneading your own dough. And there is immense satisfaction in seeing your hard work turn into a golden loaf in the oven.

If you want a crisp crust on your yeast bread turn your oven up to 250C before putting your bread in and then turn it down to the temperatures mentioned in the recipe as soon as it is placed inside. Lightly sprinkle your precooked loafs with water to add an extra crunch.

Bread need never go to waste as there is a myriad of uses for it and it freezes very well. Croutons are convenient to have on hand and store well in a sealed jar, bread crumbs can be used for stuffing or a sweet and sticky treacle tart. Bread and butter pudding is a dessert I can rarely deny myself in a cafe or restaurant and is a great use for leftovers.

There are so many variations on bread and butter pudding that you never need to get disgruntled with it, from soft fruits to cinnamon, sultanas to  chocolate.

Tip

SAVE the foil wrapper from your butter to use when sweating onions. Place it directly over the chopped onions in your saucepan and then pop your lid on top.

The foil will be close to the onions so will trap the steam. This will help to retain all of the moisture and the flavour too.

Rosemary Bread

400g strong flour

50g coarse whole-meal flour

1 sprig of rosemary, very finely chopped

1½ tsp sea salt

1 tsp sugar

10g fast action yeast

300ml warm water

Put all the dry ingredients into the mixer, and use the dough hook to mix the flours.

Add warm water and continue to mix at minimum speed for a minute, then increase mixer to medium speed and mix the dough for a further five minutes.

Place the dough in an oiled bowl and leave it to prove in a warm place for just under an hour.

After it has risen knead it lightly, form into a loaf, and put it into your lightly oiled bread tin.

Leave it for another half an hour in the tin before baking it for 25 minutes on 210C degrees.

It should sound hollow when you tap it on its base.

Gemma’s Brown Bread 

This wonderful recipe was sent to me by a generous reader from Fethard in Tipperary. It is so good I thought it worth sharing and I want to extend my thanks to Gemma for sending it to me.

Not only does it make a delicious bread but it is full of healthy ingredients. I make two loaves as advised, one for now and an extra one for the freezer.

2 cups of porridge oats

2 cups of plain flour

2 cups of wholemeal flour

½ a cup of bran

½ a cup of wheatgerm

1 tsp of salt

2 tsp of bread soda

570mls or 1 pint of buttermilk

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees.

Put all your dry ingredient into a bowl and mix them thoroughly.

Add most of your butter milk until you have a soft consistency.

You may need a little more or less, experiment with it until you get a soft dough that can be easily poured into the tin but not too sticky.

Bake your loaf for about 50 minutes at 200C. After 50 minutes I usually take it out turn it upside down and tap the bottom to hear the hollow sound.

If it needs a bit more time you can return it to the oven for about another five minutes.

French Toast

This is another great way to use up stale bread and is particularly good on a cold morning.

Serve it with some jam or honey or even a handful of stewed berries.

4 slices of stale white bread

2 free-range eggs

A drop of milk

1 tbsp caster sugar

A drop of vanilla essence if you wish

A small dash of sunflower oil or a knob of melted butter

Cut the crusts off your bread.

Break the eggs into a shallow bowl and add the milk and sugar and use a fork to beat the mixture.

Lay the bread in the mixture, turning it over and letting it soak up the mixture.

Heat your oil or butter over a medium heat.

Place the soaked bread into the pan.

After about a minute turn them over and cook the other side.

They should turn golden when they are ready.

Can’t live without

HEGARTY’S cheddar is produced by Dan and John Hegarty, in Whitechurch, Co Cork.

This cow’s milk cheese has a distinct earthy flavour with a slightly crumbly texture.

It is lovely served with cucumber pickle or a dollop of relish.

You can buy it in Iago’s in the English Market, and On The Pigs Back, in Cork or Sheridans Cheesemongers and market stalls nationwide.

Prune and Hazelnut Loaf

Strong flour gives you a better dough when making bread as it has a higher gluten content than other flours.

400g strong white flour

1 tsp salt

2 tsp brown sugar

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground ginger

7g instant yeast

100g of prunes, stones removed and roughly chopped

A small handful of chopped hazelnuts

300 ml warm water

Place all of your ingredients into the bowl for your mixer.

With the dough hook knead for about five minutes.

You should have a nice smooth dough at this stage that is soft and elastic.

Transfer it to a large bowl and place in a warm spot until it has doubled in size.

Remove the dough from the bowl, knead it again just for about 30 seconds.

Shape the dough into a nice round or oblong loaf and place it on a lightly oiled baking tray.

Bake it at 210C degrees for about 30 minutes.

If you tap the underside of your loaf it should sound hollow.

If it does not pop it back in the oven for another few minutes.