You don't have to be a food connoisseur to appreciate a freshly baked bread...Little kids love it, even the old and grey still appreciate it...no matter what country you go to, everyone knows it and everyone loves it! I think even those connoisseurs secretly indulge in a slice of fresh bread with a generous serving of salty butter...
At this week's cooking class we baked.
It reminds me of that tv ad where the little girl asks her granny: "Grandma, so what did you do for fun?" and she replies: "We baked."
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| Brushing with egg-wash before going into the oven |
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| Chelsea bun queen! |
We made a variety of things - chelsea buns and a chocolate & orange roll from the same dough. As well as italian bread, normal bread rolls and a meaty, cheesy creation which is still to be named. Karlien's started out as a little alien...
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| Nameless little alien |
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| Buns and filled rolls before baking |
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| Chelsea buns before baking |
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| Some of our final products never made it out of the kitchen |
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| Chocolate and orange roll on the right |
That's the fun of baking bread, once you have the dough in your hand you can shape and size it in whatever form you want.
Here's a recipe for italian bread dough. What you do with the dough is up to you!
Ingredients:
480g cake flour (4 x 250 ml)
10ml salt
20ml sugar
10g instant dry yeast
350ml lukewarm water
oil to brush
Method:
1. Mix the flour, salt and sugar together. Add the dry yeast and mix well
Use your hands to make sure the yeast is distributed evenly.
The amount of water to add to get the right consistency in your dough differs. It depends on the humidity in the air, the age of the flour as well as the moisture in the flour. So start with half the water and keep adding, little bit at a time, until the mixture starts to look like a smooth dough.
2.Add enough lukewarm water to form a soft dough.
The water should be about 30-34 degrees, this activates the yeast.
3. Knead the dough well for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Once the 'cellulite' on the dough disappears and it gets a smooth and elastic appearance, you've kneaded enough!
4. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface, cover with greased plastic and leave to rest for 15 minutes.
5. Knock the dough down.
This is where you decide on the shape you want to form the dough in. Here are 2 examples:
- For pizza's, divide into 4 equal pieces and roll them out into a thin circle.
- For buns, form round balls of dough and leave them.
6. Place on a greased baking tray, cover lightly with plastic and allow to rise in a warm place until double in volume (about 25 minutes). Turn the oven on in the mean time.
You don't want to handle the dough again because it will fall flat. So if you are afraid that when you remove the plastic afterwards rather cover with a bowl or something similar.
7. Brush with oil or egg or milk or water and bake in a preheated oven at 230 degrees for 10 minutes.
Water if you want a nice crust on the outside, milk for softer buns, egg for a golden finish.
8. If you want to add a topping (cheese etc.) take it out at this point and add the topping.
9. Reduce the heat to 200 degrees and bake for a further 5 - 10 minutes.
Stick a sharp knife into the bread, if it comes out clean then they're ready. If it comes out with a bit of dough on the knife's blade then leave for another couple of minutes.
Happy baking!
Chris
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