[Magdalen] My bread recipes

[Susan Hagen]

I tried a lot of commercial breads looking for one that had a large
proportion of whole grain but not too much sugar.  I found that most
of the ones that were high in whole grains were too sweet for my
taste.  I experimented, starting with a popular no-knead white bread
recipe from the NY Times and ending up with a recipe that I often bake
when I'm going to be around on a weekend day.

If you're going to bake often it's worth investing in a couple of
these tubs.  Search Amazon for "Cambro round plastic tubs".  The 4
quart is good for a single loaf, the 6 quart for 2 loaves.  A pair of
either size, one inside the other, is what I use for fermenting kraut
and other vegetables.





No-Knead white bread



I use the recipe from this link just as it's described:



http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/dining/08mini.html?_r=1

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/dining/081mrex.html?ref=dining



This will work with up to 1/3 whole wheat or rye flour.





No Fuss Whole Wheat Bread



White whole wheat flour is a complete whole grain.  It's just a
different strain of wheat with a lighter color and a milder taste.
Sometimes it's labeled with the name of the wheat.  Prairie Gold is
one variety. The flaxseed is supposed to be good for your cholesterol
and I think it adds a nutty taste.  The recipe I started with warned
that you need to stir the gluten powder into the flour well so it
won't make gummy streaks in the bread.



For one loaf pan.  I usually double the recipe.



Combine in a bowl and stir until well mixed:

2 cups white whole wheat flour

1 cup white flour

3 T wheat gluten powder

3 T non-fat milk powder

3 T ground flaxseed meal

3 T wheat germ

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp active dry yeast



Combine and stir

1 5/8 cup lukewarm water

2 T vegetable oil

2 T honey



Stir the wet things into the dry things and stir until combined.  I
let it rest for a few minutes, then turn it and knead it for a bit
right in the mixing bowl. You won't need to knead it more than a dozen
times.



I put it in a 4 quart plastic tub, cover loosely and let it rise from
6 to 12 hours.  I usually stir it up in the evening and bake it the
next day.



Sprinkle the counter or a bread board with a little flour.  Dump the
dough, flatten it and shape it into a loaf.  I fold it a couple of
times in thirds, flatten, roll it up and tuck in the ends.  Oil a loaf
pan.  Put in the dough, pat it down, cover lightly with a cotton dish
towel (not terry cloth) and let it rise until it fills the pan.  It
will take a couple of hours.



Put an oven rack 1/3 of the way up from the bottom.  Heat the oven to
about 375 degrees.  Check it after about 25 minutes.  At that point I
usually have to drape a sheet of foil loosely over the loaf and bake
for at least another 10 minutes.  Time will vary from one oven to
another.  The top should be quite brown and the loaf should sound
hollow when you thump it.   Ease the loaf out of the pan to check the
bottom for browning.  Turn it out of the pan onto a rack and cool
completely before cutting if you can wait that long.









-- 
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bills, do laundry.