|
| HOW
TO MAKE BREAD |
FOOD
& COOKING ARTICLE |
 |
 This
article comes from the teaching notes of Tallyrand which
he gives to his student chefs when he finally lets them
loose on making breads! How to make your own bread makes
for most interesting and informative reading but if
at any time you need help or advice or would just like
to make a comment feel free to email
us.
Contents:
YEAST
FOR BREAD MAKING
Bread
making with Surebake yeast
A
brand name for a mixture of active dry yeast and bread
improvers (dough conditioner and nutrients), these stimulate
the yeast activity. Because of its make up it is able
to be blended directly into the dry ingredients during
bread making. If the recipe calls for dried yeast, substitute
double the amount of Surebake.
Bread
making with Dried/active yeast
This
has a limited shelf life and is best used only for products
that either require an extensive preparation or very
slow proving. If the recipe calls for Surebake, substitute
half the amount of dried/active yeast.
Fresh
yeast : storage and quality points
Points
to remember when using in bread making:
-
Prove
the doughs covered in a warm place, free from draughts
to double the original size, knock back to original
size then re-prove, before lightly kneading, moulding
to shape and proving a third time
- Never
over prove, double the original size is the maximum
or the dough will spoil.
Reasons
for possible faults in bread making when using yeast
doughs
| Texture
too close/ dense |
: |
too
hot oven
too little water
insufficient yeast
insufficient proving
insufficient kneading |
|
|
|
| Texture
uneven |
: |
insufficient
kneading
over proving
too cool an oven |
|
|
|
| Wrinkled
crust |
: |
over
proved |
|
|
|
| Sour
tasting dough |
: |
over
proved
stale / dead yeast |
|
|
|
| Broken
crust |
: |
2nd
proving was insufficient |
YEAST
LEAVENED BREAD - PLAITED LOAF AND BREAD ROLLS WITH ONION,
GARLIC AND OLIVES
This
recipe uses what is known as the ‘sponge method’. The
onion and rosemary could be replaced by many other ingredients:
sun-dried tomatoes and basil, garlic, olives etc.
Ingredients
|
flour
– Champion Beta
(a
high gluten content flour)
|
2
|
|
kg
|
|
fresh
yeast
|
100
|
|
gm
|
|
milk/water
mix
|
1200
|
|
ml
|
|
butter
|
100
|
|
gm
|
|
castor
sugar
|
50
|
|
gm
|
|
salt
|
1
|
|
tsp
|
| |
|
|
|
|
onion
- small
|
1
|
|
pc
|
|
garlic
clove
|
1
|
|
pc
|
|
olives
|
10
|
|
pc
|
|
olive
oil
|
25
|
|
ml
|
|
eggwash
|
|
|
sq
|
|
poppy
seeds
|
|
|
sq
|
|
sesame
seeds
|
|
|
sq
|
Method
- Melt
butter and sugar in the milk/water mix to 37°C (use
thermometer or temperature probe)
- Add
yeast and stir until dispersed
- Add
half of sieved flour and combine to form a batter
like mixture (this is the sponge)
- Allow
to prove for 30 minutes
- Crush
garlic to a puree, finely dice the onion and add to
the oil, sweat until softened and set aside
- When
cool add the sliced olives
- Knock
back the sponge by rapping the bowl on bench and add
the onion and olive mixture
- Add
enough of the remaining sieved flour and salt to form
a loose dough (this should still be slightly sticky)
- Turn
out onto a lightly floured work bench
and knead for approx. 10 minutes to develop the gluten
strands until a soft, elastic dough is formed
- Place
in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth and
prove until doubled in size
- Knock
back and ‘scale’ into 1/3 and 2/3’s
For
plaited loaf (from the 1/3 mix)
-
Scale into three even size pieces and roll into three
equal lengths
- Place
onto lightly greased tray and re-prove until double
its size
- Lightly
brush with eggwash all over (be sure to brush all
over, in a neat even fashion)
- Bake
at 200°C for 15 – 20 minutes
- Brush
with eggwash again, sprinkle with seeds and bake for
a further 2 minutes
For
rolls (from the 2/3 mix)
-
Scale into 10 - 15 even pieces and shape into rolls
- Place
onto lightly greased tray and re-prove until doubled
in size
- Brush
with eggwash all over (be sure to brush all over,
in a neat even fashion)
- Bake
at 200°C for 12 minutes
- Brush
with eggwash again, sprinkle with seeds and bake for
a further 2 minutes
Chef's
Tip:
When
placing breads in the oven ensure they are placed
on the middle shelf, and checked after 5 minutes.
Cover with tin foil if required to prevent further
browning.
BREAD
MAKING DEFINITIONS
| Dispersing |
: |
to
evenly distribute, scatter, break up the yeast
through the liquid used. Similar to dissolve,
but this term is often used in recipes that use
fresh yeast, that is a living organism which cannot
be dissolved. The liquid for this should be at
37 - 38°C |
| |
|
|
| Kneading |
: |
to
stretch and work a dough to develop the gluten
strands, thus producing an elastic dough |
| |
|
|
| Proving |
: |
to
ferment a dough under controlled temperatures
so that it doubles in size, through a fermentation
process. The recommended temperature range for
this is between 22 – 30°C |
| |
|
|
| Fermentation |
: |
the
action of yeast + liquid + sugar + warmth that
produces carbon dioxide gas (CO2). This is the
process that causes the bread to rise and also
what causes the bubbles in champagne, fizzy soft
drinks, beer etc |
| |
|
|
| Knocking
back |
: |
to
punch a proved dough, this distributes the CO2
and yeast through the dough |
| |
|
|
| Scaling |
: |
to
cut a large amount of dough into its required
measured amounts for making loaves etc |
UNLEAVENED
BREAD - PARANTHA (FLAKY INDIAN FLATBREAD)
Traditionally
Indian breads were always unleavened breads, however
these days they are often produced with the addition
of baking powder or yeast to leaven them
The
herbs and spices can also be replaced with other flavourings
as required such as nigella seeds, garlic, etc.
Ingredients
|
flour
- wholemeal
|
150
|
|
gm
|
|
flour
- white
|
150
|
|
gm
|
|
chillies
– green (small)
|
1
|
|
pc
|
|
cumin
seeds
|
1
|
|
tsp
|
|
green
ginger - grated
|
1
|
|
tsp
|
|
coriander
leaves - chopped
|
2
|
|
tbs
|
|
oil
|
2
|
|
tbs
|
|
water
|
250
|
|
ml
|
|
melted
butter (ghee)
|
100
|
|
ml
|
Dough
production
Combine the flours with the finely chopped chillie,
cumin seeds, grated ginger and coriander in a large
bowl, season with salt and pepper
-
Drizzle over the oil and rub in with the flour with
fingertips until a crumbly texture is achieved
- Add
two-thirds of the water to make a soft dough knead
for 5 minutes adding more water as required to form
a loose and slightly sticky dough
- Knead
for another 10 minutes
- Place
the dough in a bowl, cover with either a damp (clean)
tea-towel or clingfilm and place to one side to rest
for approx. 1 hour
- Briefly
knead again and divide it into eight even pieces;
this is best achieved cutting in half, and cutting
each half into half again and then repeat – this way
all pieces should be the same size!
- Roll
each piece into a ball and flatten slightly
Parantha
production
Complete
the following for each piece of dough:
-
With a rolling pin, roll out slightly, turn 90 degrees
and turn over
- Roll
slightly again and continue this rolling, turning
etc until it is a 12-15cm circle
- Brush
the surface with the melted butter
- Fold
one side of the round over so that a third is still
uncovered
- Then
fold the uncovered side over to form a rectangular
shape and brush with melted butter
- Fold
one end over so that a third is still uncovered, and
now fold the other end over to form a small square
- With
a light dusting of flour if required (to prevent sticking),
roll this out evenly to form a large square (approx.
the same size as the circle was to begin with)
- Lightly
dust each parantha with flour
Cooking
the parantha
Indians
have a special pan for cooking breads called a ‘tava’
but any good cast-iron griddle pan, cast-iron frying
pan or non stick pan can be used
-
Place your pan over a medium-high heat and allow to
heat thoroughly
- Place
the parantha into the hot pan and allow to cook for
approx. 30 seconds
- Brush
with melted butter and turn over
- Cook
for another 15 seconds, brush with melted butter and
turn over
- Repeat
this process 4 – 5 more times; the bread cooked when
it has light brown spots, is slightly crisp on the
outside and soft (but cooked through) on the inside
- Repeat
with the remaining rolled out parantha
- As
each parantha is cooked, stack on a on a plate and
cover with a cloth to prevent them drying out and
to keep warm
Chef's
Tip:
To
this basic recipe may be added garlic or other seasonings,
herbs and spices
USING
BAKING POWDER IN BREAD MAKING
Baking
powder is normally available in two forms:
Most
domestic / retail brands are slow acting in that the
dough, batter, etc may require being rested to allow
a fermentation process to take place before baking,
frying, etc.
A
good commercial instant baking powder that is also stable
is ‘Hercules’
Baking
powder is a combination of:
- one
part baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) to two parts
cream of tartare (tartaric acid)
As
the baking soda is a alkaline, when combined with the
tartaric acid and a liquid it begins to ferment, forms
CO2, and thus allows products
to aerate.
But
the very thing that makes baking powder work also makes
it unstable and gives it a short shelf life, as eventually
the two chemicals cancel each other out. When this happens
the baking powder is dead and any scones, etc made from
it will not rise.
Purchasing
the two chemicals separately and making your own baking
powder will greatly increase the shelf life and always
ensure you have a good, workable baking powder. Alternatively,
purchase baking powder in small amounts and use frequently.
Baking
soda can also be used as a raising agent (as for Irish
soda bread), in this case buttermilk is normally used
(or milk with a small amount of vinegar added). This
acidity activates the alkaline of the baking soda to
produce CO2.
YELLOW
CORNMEAL LOAF
This
recipe was provided by Tallyrand in response to an email
enquiry.
Ingredients
|
flour
– Champion’s Epic Bakers
(this
is a medium gluten flour)
|
75
|
|
gm
|
|
castor
sugar
|
55
|
|
gm
|
|
coarse
yellow cornmeal
|
65
|
|
gm
|
|
milk
|
100
|
|
ml
|
|
oil
|
25
|
|
ml
|
|
baking
powder
|
3
|
|
tsp
|
|
eggs
|
1
|
|
pc
|
Method
- Sift
together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt, stir
in cornmeal
-
Beat lightly together eggs, milk and oil
-
Stir egg mix into flour mix, and beat until smooth
-
Pour mix into prepared muffin moulds, round cake tin
or loaf tin (2/3’s full)
-
Bake at 180°C for approximately 20 minutes
- Cover
with tin foil after 5 minutes to prevent excess browning
IRISH
SODA BREAD
Certainly
a well kept secret in many parts of the world, Irish
soda bread can be made with a variety of different ingredients
to suit even the most discerning palates. Wheat flour,
buttermilk, and currants are commonly used in Great
Britain.
Ingredients
| soft
flour |
300
|
kg |
| baking
powder |
25
|
gm |
| buttermilk |
|
sq |
| sugar |
40
|
gm |
| salt |
|
sq |
| vegetable
shortening |
40
|
gm |
| raisins |
30
|
gm |
| caraway
seeds |
4
|
gm |
Method
- Sift
the dry ingredients together and work in the shortening
- Add
the raisins and caraway seeds (both optional)
- With
the paddle on low speed, blend-in the milk to make
a shaggy mass
- Knead
for 20 seconds on a floured surface.
- Divide
the dough into 400 gm round loaves. Put them on a
sheet pan.
- Dust
the top of each loaf with flour. Press a cross into
the top of each loaf with a sharp knife. Do not cut
completely through the dough.
- Bake
the loaves at 220ºC for 30 minutes, or until
browned and cooked through.
- Remove
from the oven, dust with flour and allow to cool
Chef's
Tip:
Milk
with a dash of vinegar can replace the buttermilk
if you are unable to get it
BEER
BREAD
Ingredients
|
flour
|
300
|
|
gm
|
|
baking
powder
|
3
|
|
tsp
|
|
lager
or light malt beer
|
300
|
|
ml
|
Method
- Sieve
together the flour and baking powder
-
Add the beer to form a batter
-
Pour into a prepared loaf tin
-
Bake at 200ºC for 30 minutes
SOURDOUGH
BREAD
 Sour
dough bread is made by making what is known as a ‘starter’
- this is flour and water mixed to form a soft, slack
dough and leaving it for a week prior to requiring the
bread. This ‘starter’ is used as the rising agent and
was the basis of breads for hundreds of years in many
cultures. It uses the natural yeasts found floating
in the air, that are captured by the starter dough.
Lost
to many countries over the years with the advent of
yeast, it is now again making a comeback. Although,
as many countries that there were which lost sourdough
breads there were others that maintained and embraced
the loaves. Maybe it was for the cultural significance,
maybe the traditional, maybe it was the exceptional
taste of the loaves over yeast breads. Whatever the
reason sourdough breads are back with us in an ever
increasing big way, which this chef is more than pleased
with.
This
is the bread many of our ancestors / forefathers were
used to, the style of bread referred to in the Bible,
the bread the ancient Romans marched on their bellies
on and conquered the world with, it is simply the bread
of legend.
 People
who have experienced my sourdough breads, those that
have had it in restaurants or specialist bakeries rarely
go back to store bought yeast breads. Sourdough breads
have a wonderful smell, a crispness of crust and a chewy
texture and body that can only be described as pleasurable
to the point of being illegal, supermodels would kill
for such body!
It
is so easy to make and the finish of one loaf means
the automatic start of the next - as you will see from
the following recipe. But it does require patience and
time initially. If you want to make a loaf every day,
you will have to start by making a starter every day
of the week for a week. Labelling them so you remember
which was made on what day and then using that starter
to make the bread on the corresponding day the next
week. Sounds complicated and a lot of fuss, but it isn’t
and you will love the initial effort and it is worth
the wait for the first loaf . . . if you can wait for
Xmas once a year, then a week for a great bread loaf
is not too much to ask.
Ingredients
|
flour
|
1
|
|
kg
|
|
water
(warm)
|
|
|
sq
|
|
flour
|
1
|
|
kg
|
|
salt
|
25
|
|
gm
|
|
patience
|
|
|
sq
|
Method
Day
#1
-
Combine 1kg of flour with enough water to form a soft,
slack dough
- Place
into a large, clean bowl outside for an hour
- Cover
with cling-film and place in a warm, (but draught
free - a linen closet is excellent) place for two
days
Day
#2
-
It should have started to ferment already, but just
leave it alone and just forget about it until tomorrow
Day
#3
-
It should have fermented nicely by now
- Add
sufficient flour and water to bring it back to the
same texture as it was on the first day
- Cover
and leave it alone for two more days
Day
#4
-
It should have fermented nicely again, but just leave
it alone and just forget about it until tomorrow
Day
#5
-
It should have really fermented by now
-
Remove from the bowl and add the second lot of flour
and sufficient water to bring it back to the same
texture as it was on the first day
- Split
into two and use one half for the starter for next
weeks bread
- With
the remaining dough, add the salt and knead for another
5 minutes
- Split
into two and shape into a nice round loaves, place
on a baking tray and loosely cover, leave it overnight
to prove in the a warm place (at least 12 hours)
Day
#6
-
Pre-heat an oven to 180ºC
-
Place bread in oven and bake for 45 – 60 minutes until
crisp and sounds hollow when tapped on the base (this
method is used to try all breads for whether they
are cooked or not)
Day
#7
-
Enjoy the remainder of your bread and start all over
again
AREPAS
Ingredients
|
arepa
flour (or masa harina)
|
250
|
|
gm
|
|
salt
|
1
|
|
tsp
|
|
Parmesan
(grated)
|
75
|
|
gm
|
|
Mozzarella
(grated)
|
75
|
|
gm
|
|
butter
(melted)
|
75
|
|
ml
|
|
boiling
water
|
750
|
|
ml
|
|
sour
cream
|
300
|
|
ml
|
|
butter
|
3
|
|
tbs
|
|
oil
|
|
|
sq
|
Method
-
In a large bowl combine the arepa flour, salt and
cheeses
-
Stir in melted butter and enough water to knead to
a pliable dough (add more water if necessary; dough
should have the consistency of soft mashed potatoes)
-
Divide dough equally into 16 pieces
-
With wet hands, roll each into a ball and flatten
from the centre out to make a patty about 1cm thick
-
Heat butter and oil in a large cast iron skillet over
medium heat, fry arepas until light golden on each
side
-
Place in the oven for about 10 minutes, turning once,
to finish cooking. Serve right away topped with sour
cream.
Chef's
Tip:
Arepa
flour or masa harina is a yellow cornmeal flour
|
Chef's
terminology:
|
| |
lt |
=
|
litres |
|
tsp |
= |
teaspoon |
| |
ml |
=
|
millelitres |
|
tbs |
= |
tablespoon |
| |
kg |
=
|
kilograms |
|
sq |
= |
sufficient
quantity (add to taste) |
| |
gm |
=
|
grams |
|
pc |
= |
piece,
meaning a whole one of |
|
Enjoy
your bread making and bon appetit . . . . .
From professional
Chef Tallyrand
|
