bread figures – visit another blog
a rough and stiff bread dough packed with a lot of grains can be shaped like people and birds and sybils and fishes and trees. so, as part of her legacy and to protect and revere her spirit, eleone made a bread figure of saffron millet to resemble maman.
eric kayser – compagnon du devoir “graduate” and owner of eric kayser boulangerie in paris, miami, and now japan
bread baking kneads no: explanation
(previously published in the chapel hill news)
i love this quote by gaston bachelard in his book, water and dreams
“in kneading there is no geometry, no edges, no breaks.
it is a seamless dream.
its work that can be done with the eyes closed.
it is thus an intimate daydream.
it also has a rhythm, a hard rhythm that takes over the whole body. it is thus vital. what is more, this reverie bred by working the dough harmonizes with the desire for a special power, with the male exultation of penetrating the substance, stroking the inside of substances, knowing the grain from within, mastering the earth as intimately as water masters it, reclaiming an elemental force, taking part in the struggle of the elements, of participating in an irresistible power of dissolution.”
gaston bachelard, water and dreams
the event of bread baking has been highly under-rated and pushed to the back shelf of worthwhile culinary endeavors, in my opinion. the therapeutic benefits, not to mention the glorious eating experience,
make taking the extra time involved in producing a crusty loaf among one of life's surest attainable pleasures. this is not to say there isn't some really great fresh-baked bread available in chapel hill, but to be in charge of your own loaf, (no, not your spouse) now that is a momentous occasion.
not to worry, yes you can, you can do it. come on now, give it a try. you'll be ever so glad you did. and so will your friends and family. in fact, why not make it a group experience? involve every
willing hand in the process of bringing the bread to the table.
bread moves me, the intoxicating aroma of warm yeasted honey, the silky feel of the flour and/or the whole grains on my hands, the kneading and turning of the pliable dough, the shaping of the loaves, the careful brushing of the surface with an egg wash, the sprinkling of some seeds or salt, the sound of sliding cornmeal dusted loaves on the floor of the oven, and the wondrous aroma of these aforementioned ingredients as they become our daily bread.
the anxious look on the faces of all those gathered as the finished rounds are removed and readied for consumption.
good bread requires time, at least 3 1/2- 4 hours, during which you should be round and about, it doesn't demand your constant attention. a little mixing here, a little kneading there, a little waiting and rising, a bit of baking, and the there was, bread.
on the other hand if you should choose to use one of the refrigerator rise methods, triple the allotted time, and gain taste.
but in another complicated mathematical formula, at least half the fun is just getting there, and the texture of a slowly risen loaf gives proof that time is a precious component. we can't live on bread alone – for we can’t ignore cheese and eggplant - but what a way to begin!
millet cardamom ginger bread with raisins
this is a nutritious, slightly sweet, raisiny bread with a somewhat
cruchy texture from the grain, millet. spread with some jam and/or
nut butter, it is consummate. it also is dense enough to create bread figures.
1 cup millet, available in bulk department of grocery
2 cups water
pinch salt
3 cardamom pods, split and seeds removed
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons active dry yeast
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup lukewarm water or apple juice, for a slightly sweeter loaf
1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons butter
2 eggs
1 cup wheat or oat bran
4 cups stone-ground whole wheat flour
2 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour or bread flour
1 cup golden raisins
egg wash:
1 egg, slightly beaten combined with 2 tablespoons milk
to prepare millet:
in a medium saucepan, bring the 2 cups water to a boil, add a pinch of salt, the cardamom pods, the ground ginger, and the 1 cup of millet. bring to a second boil, lower the heat and simmer for for 20 -25 minutes. pour the cooked millet into a large mixing bowl to cool slightly. (this should make about 2 1/2 cups cooked millet.) add the 1/2 cup honey and stir well.
combine the yeast, 2 t. honey , and water or apple juice in a small bowl.
set aside until "proofed" , that is, till foamy and bubbly.
stir the sour cream, salt, butter, eggs, and wheat or oat bran into the warm millet. add the foamy yeast, stirring well. begin adding the whole wheat flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each. alternate with the unbleached or bread flour. when the dough becomes too stiff to work the flour in with a spoon, turn it out on a floured surface and knead in the remaining flour with your hands. depending on the weather (and the amount of moisture in the air) this may happen as the last couple of cups are added.
knead the dough for 10 minutes after all the flour has been added. it should be smooth and not sticky after it is kneaded.
place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a towel, and let rise until doubled in bulk. (one way to tell if it is sufficiently risen is to poke it with your fingers, if the holes remain it is risen enough, if they close
up, it needs more time.) this time can be 1 1/2 to 2 hours. i like to turn the oven on to 200 degrees and place the bowl over the back right burner where the heat escapes. if this is too hot, place the bowl on a dinner plate, to reduce the intensity.
punch the dough down, cover, and let rise again for about 1 hour.
preheat the oven to 375 degrees. form the dough into 2 loaves, they can be round free-form or the standard loaf pan size (9 x 5 x 3 inch.) cover these and let rise until doubled again, about 30 minutes.
brush the tops with the egg wash mixture and bake for 50-55 minutes.
bread will sound hollow when tapped and it is done. cool on wire racks.
