Cooking as you properly gather, is one of my great interests in life, and takes up a lot of my working week. The one subject that comes up time and time again is breadmaking, which is a massive subject, and a hugely enjoyable thing to do. As I have written about breadmaking (amongst other things) over the years, I was recently asked to give a blow by blow account of exactly how I make my own bread.
So as it is already in my archives, I thought I would reproduce it here.
I hope it is of some interest to you. You probably bake your own bread, and would like to add to the debate.
Here it is
---------------------------------------
"chefjohn
I have been making bread for many years and will ever find it a pleasure.
In our house nearly everything is made from scratch. I am fortunate that I have the time (or make the time) and inclination to have an intense interest in what I and my family eat.
This is “Shambles” staple bread and the way I prepare it, using my equipment and a sponge starter
You can, if you like take the final stage of the procedure one stage further.(putting the dough into the bread tins) Put the dough into the refrigerator for its final rise overnight. It is good for about 10 hours that way. Let it stand at room temperature for about an hour and bake in a pre heated oven. I like to do this when we have guests, or at weekends. I hope I have covered all the stages in enough detail for you all to make successful bread
Makes two loaves.
Sponge starter
500ml hand warm water
100g Granary flour. (UK Hovis)
150g strong bread flour (UK, Allinson’s US, King Arthur)
½ tsp dry yeast powder (I am using dry yeast powder here, as it is universally available, whereas in some places, fresh yeast can be difficult to get hold of
3 tsp Honey
3 tsp malt extract. (I get mine from our local health food store)
Add all the above to the bowl of a food processor (all times and speeds refer to a KitchenAid mixer, which I use) and mix with the flat beater on speed two for one minute. Meanwhile weigh out
200g Granary flout.
350g Strong white bread flour
1 tsp Dry yeast powder. (mix yeast into flour before adding the salt as contact will kill the yeast).
2 tsp Salt.
Sprinkle the flour and mixed in yeast over the sponge starter (still in the mixer bowl) so that it is all covered and leave for at least one hour, or up to 6 hours at room temperature ( at this stage it is very flexible and could be left in the refrigerator over night) . you will find that the sponge starter underneath the flour will bubble through, this is quite normal.
Attach the dough hook
Mix the flour one speed one for one minute until sponge and flour mix ate incorporated. Leave covered for about 20 minutes.
Now at speed 4 using the dough hook knead for 7 minutes. The dough should be quite sticky in the beginning but will stiffen up as the kneading proceeds. The dough should be clinging to the dough hook and just sticking to the bottom of the bowl towards the end of the 7 minutes.
Note
If it is two stiff you may need to add a little more water and conversely if it is to wet little more flour. This judgement comes with time.
Now remove the dough hook and cover the bowl with a cloth.
When the dough has doubled in size (depending on room temperature, anything from an hour to a couple of hours). Turn out dough onto a floured surface and divide into two equal portions. Knock out the air with the heels of your hands and stretch out the dough. Fold the dough from left to right half way and then from right to left covering the previous fold. Tuck in both ends and turn seam side down and pat into shape. (It should look like a loaf shape by now) and turn into two 9” by 4” by 3” Loaf tins seam side down. Cover with oiled sheets (I use a freezer food bags cut into two single sheets).
Allow to double once more, the second rise is usually quicker that the first. When the dough rises just proud of the loaf tin I whack on the oven as high as it will go (this on my oven takes about 20 minutes to reach temperature.
Remove the oiled sheets spray the loaves with water ( I use a spray bottle bought for the purpose) add any seeds that you like to the top of the loaf, could be sesame. Poppy, flax or sunflower seeds, or a mixture of all.
Pop into the middle of the oven and set the timer top 10 minutes after 10 minutes turn to oven down to 180c (350f) and cook for another 35 minutes.
Note
If you want to have a thicker crust, spray the oven with water after the 10 minutes of cooking time and at the finish of the cooking time turn of the oven and leave the loafs in for a further 10 minutes with the oven door slightly ajar.
Sound long winded but it only takes me 5 minutes to prepare.
Good luck"
