Bread

adapted from America’s Test Kitchen

Ingredients

BREAD

• 3 1/4 cups (16 1/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) sugar
• 1 tablespoon instant or rapid-rise yeast
• 1 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees)
• 2 large eggs plus 1 large yolk
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 6 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (1 1/2 cups), room temperature
• 6 ounces provolone cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (1 1/2 cups), room temperature

TOPPING

• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened

Directions

Take the cheese out of the refrigerator when you start the recipe to ensure that it comes to room temperature by the time you need it. Cold cheese will retard rising. Plan ahead: The dough needs to rise for several hours before baking.

FOR THE BREAD: Whisk flour, sugar, yeast, pepper flakes, and salt together in bowl of stand mixer. Whisk warm water, eggs and yolk, and melted butter together in liquid measuring cup. Add egg mixture to flour mixture. Fit mixer with dough hook and knead on medium speed until dough clears bottom and sides of bowl, about 8 minutes.

Transfer dough to unfloured counter, shape into ball, and transfer to greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place until doubled in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Grease 9-inch round cake pan. Transfer dough to unfloured counter and press to deflate. Roll dough into 18 by 12-inch rectangle with long side parallel to counter’s edge. Distribute Monterey Jack and provolone evenly over dough, leaving 1-inch border around edges. Starting with edge closest to you, roll dough into log. Pinch seam and ends to seal, then roll log so seam side is down. Roll log back and forth on counter, applying gentle, even pressure, until log reaches 30 inches in length. If any tears occur, pinch to seal.

Starting at one end, wind log into coil; tuck end underneath coil. Place loaf in prepared cake pan and cover loosely with clean dish towel. Let rise in warm place until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees.

FOR THE TOPPING: Brush top of loaf with egg, then sprinkle with pepper flakes. Place cake pan on rimmed baking sheet. Bake until loaf is golden brown, about 25 minutes. Rotate loaf, tent with aluminum foil, and continue to bake until loaf registers 190 degrees, 25 to 30 minutes longer.

Transfer pan to wire rack and brush bread with butter. Let cool for 10 minutes. Run knife around edge of pan to loosen bread. Slide bread onto wire rack, using spatula as needed for support. Let cool for 30 minutes before slicing. Serve warm.

Adapted from The Italian Baker by Carol Field

makes 2 9″ x 5″ loaves

This is a perfect sandwich bread.

• 1 1/4 cups walnut pieces
• 3 3/4 tsp active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 3 cups water, room temperature
• 3 3/4  cups (500 gr) all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups (125 gr) oat flour or finely ground rolled oats
• 1 cup plus 2 tbsp (125 gr) rye flour
• 1 cup less 1 tbsp (125 gr) whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup (125 gr) brown rice flour
• 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp (20 gr) salt

Toast the walnuts in a 400°F/200°C oven for about 10 minutes. Chop to the size of a rice kernel.

Stir the yeast into the warm water and let sit for about 10 minutes. Add 3 cups of water.

Mix all of the dry ingredients and add to the mixer 2 cups at a time. Knead for 4 or 5 minutes until the dough comes together. This is a fairly sticky dough.

Knead briefly by hand on a floured board.

First Rise: Place dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled – about an hour.

Shaping and Second Rise: Turn dough out onto a floured board. Divide in half and form each half into a loaf. Place into lightly oiled loaf pans, cover with a towel, and allow to rise until doubled – well over the top of the pan – about 1 to 1 1/4 hours.

Baking: Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C. Slash the tops of the loaves. bake 40 to 45 minutes. Bake the last 5-10 minutes out of the pan and on a baking stone or baking sheet to brown the bottom and sides of the loaves.

Cool completely on racks.

• 1 packet yeast
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tbsp nonfat milk powder
• 2 tbsp butter, softened
• 1 tsp salt

Proof yeast in warm milk and sugar.

Add flour, milk powder, and salt to liquid and mix on low speed until all flour is incorporated. Add softened butter and continue mixing for 7 or 8 minutes. Dough will be soft and not pull away from bottom of bowl, but it shouldn’t be overly sticky.

Form into a ball and place in an oiled bowl. Cover, and allow to rise until doubled.

Punch down dough and form into 4 to 6 balls. Place on a floured sheet pan and flatten. Cover with a towel and allow to rise, again, until doubled.

Brush with egg mixed with a bit of water and sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired.

Place in a preheated 375°F/190°C oven for about 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and cover pan with a clean dishtowel to steam buns as they cool to help soften.

• 1 packet yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
• 1 cup warm nonfat milk
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 3 cups flour
• 2 large eggs, divided
• 3 tbsp butter, softened
• 1 tsp salt
• sesame seeds

Proof yeast in warm milk and sugar. Mix in 1 whole egg and 1 egg yolk. Save egg white for brushing on buns, later.

Add flour and salt to liquid and mix on low speed until all flour is incorporated. Add softened butter and continue mixing for 7 or 8 minutes. Dough will be soft and not pull away from bottom of bowl, but it shouldn’t be overly sticky.

Form into a ball and place in an oiled bowl. Cover, and allow to rise until doubled.

Punch down dough and form into 8 balls – each about 3 1/2 ounces. Place on a floured sheet pan and flatten. Cover with a towel and allow to rise, again, until doubled.

Brush with reserved egg white mixed with a bit of water. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired.

Place in a preheated 375°F oven for about 15 minutes.

Split, and fill with your favorite burger and toppings.

• 1 3/4 cup white flour (I use Italian “00”)
• 1/2 cup sprouted wheat flour
• 1/4 cup rye flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 1/4 tsp – 1 package – active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm milk
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup pistachios, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup provolone cheese, diced

Sift flour, salt and sugar into a large bowl.

Dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup of the warm milk. Pour it into the middle of the flour together with the oil and rest of the milk.

Knead well until the dough is firm and blended into a smooth, springy ball (about 10 minutes.) Leave in a warm place to rise for about 2 hours.

Punch down, mix in pistachios, cheese, and onions. Shape into loaf and let rise for about 45 minutes.

Bake at 400°F/200°C for 35-40 minutes or until the loaf is nicely-browned and sounds hollow when tapped  on the bottom.

Can be baked on greased baking sheet or bread stone.

• 2 1/2 tsp yeast
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 cups whole milk – room temperature
• 1/2 stick butter – softened
• 3 cups white flour
• 1 cup sprouted wheat flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup rye flour
• 1 tbsp salt
• 2 tbsp sugar

Mix yeast with water and sugar and proof for 5 minutes.

Add milk and white flour and blend on low speed with dough hook. Slowly add very soft butter, remaining flours, sugar, and salt.

Continue mixing for about 8 minutes. Dough should completely pull away from the sides of the bowl, but won’t pull away completely from bottom. Add water or flour by tablespoons, if needed.

Roll dough into a ball and place in a buttered bowl.

Cover, and allow to rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled. I use the microwave with a 2-cup Pyrex measuring cup filled with boiling water.

When doubled, form into two loaves, place in buttered bread pans, and allow to rise, again, until doubled.

Bake in a preheated 400°F/200°C oven for about 40 minutes, or until baked through and hollow-sounding when tapped.

Remove from pans and cool on racks completely, before slicing.

The bread has great flavor, a wonderful, light crumb, and just the right amount of chew in the crust. The fennel comes through pretty strong, and the malty Guinness is there, as well. The rye compliments everything.

adapted from Wild Yeast Blog

sponge:

• 1 2/3 cups bread flour
• 1 cup rye flour
• 1 packet yeast
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 bottle Guinness Extra Stout

for the dough:

• 1 2/3 cups bread flour
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• the sponge

method:

Make the sponge:  In a mixing bowl proof yeast in the 1/4 cup water and Guinness. Add the two flours and mix well. Cover and place in a warm spot and  let rise about an hour. I use my microwave with a 2 cup measuring cup of hot water.

Make the dough: Add the remaining flour, fennel seeds, and salt to the sponge and mix with dough hook about 7 or 8 minutes. The dough will be soft and a tad sticky, but should pull completely away from the sides of the bowl and just barely stick to the bottom.

Form into a ball and place into an oiled bowl and let rise in a warm place – back in that microwave, for me – for another hour.

Make the loaf: Place dough on a lightly floured board and form into a ball. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rest about 15 minutes.

Reform into a tight ball and place on a peel liberally coated with cornmeal. Cover, and let rise 30 minutes.

Carefully slash top with sharp knife or razor blade and slide onto baking stones preheated to 425°F.

Bake 30 minutes or until completely done and sounding hollow when bottom is tapped.

This is a process because you start by making the starter – which, alone, can take up to 10 days. The bread is worth it.

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE STARTER AND LEAVEN

• 1000 grams white-bread flour
• 1000 grams whole-wheat flour

FOR THE BREAD

• 200 grams leaven
• 900 grams white-bread flour
• 100 grams whole-wheat flour, plus more for dusting
• 20 grams fine sea salt
• 100 grams rice flour

PREPARATION

Make the starter: Combine 1,000 grams white-bread flour with 1,000 grams whole-wheat flour. Put 100 grams of warm water (about 80 degrees) in a small jar or container and add 100 grams of the flour mix. Use your fingers to mix until thoroughly combined and the mixture is the consistency of thick batter. Cover with a towel and let sit at room temperature until mixture begins to bubble and puff, 2 to 3 days.

When starter begins to show signs of activity, begin regular feedings. Keep the starter at room temperature, and at the same time each day discard 80 percent of the starter and feed remaining starter with equal parts warm water and white-wheat flour mix (50 grams of each is fine). When starter begins to rise and fall predictably and takes on a slightly sour smell, it’s ready; this should take about 1 week.(Reserve remaining flour mix for leaven.)

Make the leaven: The night before baking, discard all but 1 tablespoon of the mature starter. Mix the remaining starter with 200 grams of warm water and stir with your hand to disperse. Add 200 grams of the white-wheat flour mix and combine well. Cover with a towel and let rest at room temperature for 12 hours or until aerated and puffed in appearance. To test for readiness, drop a tablespoon of leaven into a bowl of room-temperature water; if it floats it’s ready to use. If it doesn’t, allow more time to ferment.

Make the dough: In a large bowl, combine 200 grams of leaven with 700 grams of warm water and stir to disperse. (Reserve remaining leaven for future loaves; see note below.)

Add 900 grams of white-bread flour and 100 grams of whole-wheat flour to bowl and use your hands to mix until no traces of dry flour remain. The dough will be sticky and ragged. Cover bowl with a towel and let dough rest for 25 to 40 minutes at room temperature.

Add 20 grams fine sea salt and 50 grams warm water. Use hands to integrate salt and water into dough thoroughly. The dough will begin to pull apart, but continue mixing; it will come back together.

Cover dough with a towel and transfer to a warm environment, 75 to 80 degrees ideally (like near a window in a sunny room, or inside a turned-off oven). Let dough rise for 30 minutes. Fold dough by dipping hand in water, taking hold of the underside of the dough at one quadrant and stretching it up over the rest of the dough. Repeat this action 3 more times, rotating bowl a quarter turn for each fold. Do this every half-hour for 2 1/2 hours more (3 hours total). The dough should be billowy and increase in volume 20 to 30 percent. If not, continue to let rise and fold for up to an hour more.

Transfer dough to a work surface and dust top with flour. Use a dough scraper to cut dough into 2 equal pieces and flip them over so floured sides are face down. Fold the cut side of each piece up onto itself so the flour on the surface remains entirely on the outside of the loaf; this will become the crust. Work dough into taut rounds. Place the dough rounds on a work surface, cover with a towel, and let rest 30 minutes.

Mix 100 grams whole-wheat flour and 100 grams rice flours. Line two 10- to 12-inch bread-proofing baskets or mixing bowls with towels. Use some of the flour mixture to generously flour towels (reserve remaining mixture).

Dust rounds with whole-wheat flour. Use a dough scraper to flip them over onto a work surface so floured sides are facing down. Take one round, and starting at the side closest to you, pull the bottom 2 corners of the dough down toward you, then fold them up into the middle third of the dough. Repeat this action on the right and left sides, pulling the edges out and folding them in over the center. Finally, lift the top corners up and fold down over previous folds. (Imagine folding a piece of paper in on itself from all 4 sides.) Roll dough over so the folded side becomes the bottom of the loaf. Shape into a smooth, taut ball. Repeat with other round.

Transfer rounds, seam-side up, to prepared baskets. Cover with a towel and return dough to the 75- to 80-degree environment for 3 to 4 hours. (Or let dough rise for 10 to 12 hours in the refrigerator. Bring back to room temperature before baking.)

About 30 minutes before baking, place a Dutch oven or lidded cast-iron pot in the oven and heat it to 500 degrees. Dust tops of dough, still in their baskets, with whole-wheat/rice-flour mixture. Very carefully remove heated pot from oven and gently turn 1 loaf into pan seam-side down. Use a lame (a baker’s blade) or razor blade to score the top of the bread a few times to allow for expansion, cover and transfer to oven. Reduce temperature to 450 degrees and cook for 20 minutes. Carefully remove lid (steam may release) and cook for 20 more minutes or until crust is a rich, golden brown color.

Transfer bread to a wire rack to cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing. The bottom of the loaf should sound hollow when tapped. Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees, clean out pot and repeat this process with the second loaf.

The remaining leaven is your new starter. Continue to feed it if you plan to bake again soon or hold in an airtight container in the refrigerator for future use. When you want to bake again, begin feeding the starter a few days or a week beforehand until it once again behaves predictably.

The crumb is light and rich just as an egg bread should be. The filling ingredients are strong, so a little goes a long way. You could probably up the cheese a bit, but I wouldn’t add too many more olives or tomatoes. This is one of those less is more moments.

adapted from King Arthur Flour

Dough

• 3 cups King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour

• 2 teaspoons instant yeast

• 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup lukewarm milk
• 1/3 cup lukewarm water
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

Filling

• 1 cup shredded Italian-blend cheese
• 1/3 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 10 chopped kalamata olives

Directions

To make the dough:

Combine all of the dough ingredients in a bowl and mix and knead to make a smooth, very soft dough. The dough should stick a bit to the bottom of the bowl if you’re using a stand mixer.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let it rise for 45 to 60 minutes, or until it’s doubled in size.

On a lightly-floured board, gently deflate the dough. Flatten and pat it into a 22″ x 8 1/2″ rectangle. Spread with the cheese, tomatoes, garlic, and olives.

Starting with one long edge, roll the dough into a log. Pinch the edges to seal. Place the log seam-side down on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.

Using kitchen shears, start 1/2″ from one end and cut the log lengthwise down the center about 1″ deep, to within 1/2″ of the other end. Keeping the cut side up, form an “S” shape. Tuck both ends under the center of the “S” to form a “figure 8;” pinch the ends together to seal.

Cover and let rise in a warm place until double, 45 to 60 minutes. While the loaf is rising, preheat the oven to 350°F.

Uncover the bread, and bake it for 35 to 40 minutes, tenting it with foil after 20 to 25 minutes to prevent over-browning. Remove the bread from the oven, and transfer it to a rack to cool.

The bread has almost a sourdough texture and flavor. It is seriously good. Light, great crumb and chewy crust. A perfect bread.

adapted from Leslie Mackie in Baking with Julia

Makes 2 loaves

• 1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes (about 3)
• 4 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 cup tepid reserved potato water (80 to 90 degrees F)
• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Cooking the Potatoes.

Scrub the potatoes and cut them into quarters, peel and all. Toss them into a 2 quart pot, cover with water, add 2 teaspoons of the salt, and boil until the potatoes are soft enough to be pierced easily with the point of a knife. Dip a measuring cup into the pot and draw off 1/2 cup of the potato water; reserve. Drain the potatoes in a colander and then spread them out, either in the colander, or on a cooling rack over a jelly-roll pan, and let them cool and air-dry for 20 to 30 minutes. It’s important that the potatoes be dry before they’re mashed.

Mixing the dough.

When the potatoes are cool, stir the yeast into the reserved potato water (if the water is no longer warm, heat it for a few seconds in a microwave oven–it should feel warm to the touch) and allow it to rest for 5 minutes; it will turn creamy.

Meanwhile, turn the cooked potatoes into the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mash them. With the mixer on low speed, add the dissolved yeast and the olive oil and mix until the liquids are incorporated into the potatoes.

Replace the paddle with the dough hook and, still mixing on low speed, add the flour and the remaining 2 teaspoons of salt. Mix on low speed for 2 to 3 minutes, then increase the speed to medium and mix for 11 minutes more. The dough will be firm at first and soft at the finish. At the start, it will look dry, so dry you’ll think you’re making a pie crust. But as the dough is worked, it will be transformed. It may even look like a brioche, cleaning the sides of the bowl but pooling at the bottom. Have faith and keep beating.

First rise.

Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes, at which point the dough will have risen noticeably, although it may not have doubled.

While the bread is proofing, position a rack in the bottom of the oven and fit it with a baking stone or quarry tiles, leaving a border of at least 1 inch all around. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place a linen towel on a baking sheet, rub the towel with flour, and set aside; this will be the resting place for the bread’s final rise. Rub a baker’s peel or baking sheet with cornmeal or flour. Fill a spray bottle with water; set aside.

Shaping the dough.

Turn the bread out into a lightly floured surface and, using a dough scraper, cut the dough in half. To shape each half into a torpedo shape, first shape it into a ball and then flatten it into a disk. Starting at the end farthest from you, roll up the dough toward you. When you’re on your last roll, stop and pull the free end of the dough toward you, stretching it gently, and dust its edge with flour. Finish the roll and, if necessary, rock the loaf back and forth a little to taper the ends and form a torpedo, or football.

Second rise.

Place the loaves on the floured towel, seam side down, and cover them with the ends of a towel (or another towel). Let the breads rise at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Baking the bread.

When you’re ready to bake, spray the oven walls with water and immediately close the oven door to trap the steam. Turn the breads out, seam side up, onto the peel or baking sheet and transfer them to the oven. Spray the oven with water again and bake the loaves for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the crust is very brown, the loaves sound hollow when thumped on the bottom, and, the most important test, the interior temperature measures 200 degrees F when an instant-read thermometer is plunged into the center of the loaves. Remove the loaves from the oven and cool on a rack at least 20 minutes before slicing. While you should wait for the bread to firm up in the cooling process, slather this bread with butter while it’s still warm is a great treat.