A Bread A Day

Week Fifty-Three: For The Last Time!

And so, we come to my final week of bread.  Like I’ve done at the end of every three-month period so far, this week is devoted to righting all my bready wrongs.  It’s the week I get to have a second chance at recipes that I mishandled, ones that I tinkered with too much (or not enough), or ones that were just flops to begin with.

To begin, I’m revisiting a bread that didn’t exactly go wrong.  In fact, this orange- and mint-scented beauty was quite delicious the first time around; but half the reason I’d chosen to make it in the first place was the novel mixing method. Why, in my flour-addled state, I’d elected to forego this method in favor of the comfortable crutch of a stand mixer, I’ve still no idea.

This time around, I wasn’t going to let myself miss out on any of the sloppy fun.  And let me tell you, it was indeed that: sloppy and fun.  What started out as a messy, sticky, wet mass of goo ended up as one of the prettiest, silkiest doughs I’ve seen, all through a slightly brutal process of slapping, flinging, and generally roughing it up.  It’s liberating.

It seems hopeless at first, just an awful mess to have to clean up later; but then, magically, the dough starts to cooperate and come together in your hands.  Before your eyes, it morphs into a supple and smooth ball, the sort of thing you thought you needed a stand mixer to make.  And don’t be afraid to really slam it down and put it through the paces - as long as your counter is sturdy enough to take it, you’ll do no harm.  Once it starts to come together, the more you sling it around, the quicker you form the gluten.

The word “wondrous” comes to mind to explain the process; it’s really quite extraordinary.  Richard Bertinet, the chef who brings us this technique, aptly describes the finished dough as being “full of life”.  It’s springy, vibrant, and gorgeous.

But however admirable the dough may be, the proof is in the baking.  The first time around, when I made the dough with the stand mixer, the bread ended up very pretty, shiny and properly dark-crusted, with good flavor and texture.  Nothing had seemed wrong with it… until a tried a slice from this second batch.

I can’t really explain what the difference was, but all I know is I couldn’t stop eating it.  Soft and buttery, each slice was like a reprimand for not trying it sooner.  Like in many similarly rich breads, there was a gentle citrus brightness, but here it was the warmth of orange, as opposed to the more typical zing of lemon.

My one complaint is one that I had with the first attempt as well: the lack of mint flavor.  I even doubled the amount of mint this time, but it still didn’t come through in the final loaves.  I suggest either not bothering with the mint at all, or adding a few drops of peppermint oil to really give it a boost.

Otherwise, I found this light and flavorful bread absolutely sublime.  Between the fantastic flavor, the impeccable texture, the picture-perfect looks, and the gleefully messy and almost gymnastic mixing technique, I couldn’t choose my favorite aspect of this one if I had to.

Orange and Mint Bread, For The Last Time!
Adapted from Richard Bertinet, via Gourmet Magazine
Makes 2 loaves

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
1 to 2 bunches mint, leaves only (about 1 cup, tightly packed)
18 ounces (about 3 3/4 cups) unbleached bread flour
2 teaspoons instant yeast
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon Cointreau or other orange-flavored liqueur
1 large egg, beaten with a pinch of salt to make an egg wash

1.  To make mint-infused milk, bring milk and mint just to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 1 hour.  Strain through a sieve and discard mint.  Milk can be chilled for up to a few days at this point; reheat as needed before using per recipe.

2.  Heat milk to 120 to 130° F.  In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, yeast, sugar, salt, and zest.  Add milk, eggs, and liqueur.  Using a large nonstick spatula or bowl scraper, mix until a very wet, sticky dough forms.  Don’t be tempted to add more flour.

3.  Scrape dough out onto an unfloured surface.  Slide your fingers underneath both sides of the dough with your thumbs on top.  Lift dough up (to about chest level) with your thumbs toward you, letting dough hang slightly.  In a continuous motion, swing dough down, slapping bottom of dough onto surface, then stretch dough up and back over itself in an arc to trap in air.  Repeat lifting, slapping, and stretching, scraping surface with flat side of bowl scraper as needed, until dough is supple, cohesive, and starts to bounce slightly off of surface without sticking, about 8 minutes.  For a video showing the proper technique, click here.

4.  Form the dough into a ball by folding the outside edges into the center of the dough, pressing down to seal.  Transfer the dough to a large, lightly oiled bowl, seam side down.  Cover tightly with a plastic wrap.  Let sit at warm room temperature for 1 hour (dough may or may not double in size).

4.  Remove plastic wrap and, using a broad nonstick spatula, fold the dough over itself, as though you were folding a letter: 1/3 over the center, then the opposite 1/3 over that.  Lastly, fold dough in half again, perpendicular to the first folds (like you’re folding the letter in half).  Dough should end up being roughly a square.  Replace towel or plastic wrap, let dough rise until doubled again, about 1 hour.

5.  Lightly grease a large baking sheet, or line with parchment paper.  Gently turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, taking care not to punch down or deflate too much, and divide into 2 equal pieces.  Flatten each piece with the heel of your hand into a rectangle, about 8 x 6 inches in size.  Fold a long edge into center and press seam down to seal.  Fold opposite edge over to meet in center, pressing seam to seal.  Fold in half along seam, pressing edges to seal. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet, seam side down, and cover loosely.  Repeat shaping with remaining dough.

6.  Brush tops of loaves with some of the egg wash, chilling remainder.  Let stand a few minutes until egg feels dry.  Cover with a dry kitchen towel (not terry cloth) and let rise at warm room temperature until almost doubled, and feeling springy when gently prodded with a fingertip, about 1½ hours.  Thirty minutes before baking, preheat oven to 425º F, and position a rack in the middle of the oven.

7.  When fully risen, gently brush top of each loaf again with the egg wash, taking care not to deflate.  Using a sharp serrated knife, make three decisive slashes diagonally down the center of each loaf, letting only the weight of the blade press into the dough.   Transfer to the oven and immediately reduce temperature to 400º F.

8.  Bake at 400º F until loaves are a dark golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes.  An instant-read thermometer should register about 200º F when fully baked.  Transfer to a rack to cool completely before slicing.

Notes:
1.  After heating the milk and mint, and straining, remeasure to make sure you still have enough.  I found my milk had lost about 1 tablespoon of volume in the heating process.  Add milk as necessary.

Week Fifty-Two: Christmas Breads

I feel safe in offering up challah as the final bread in this week of Christmas breads; for challah, like the bagel, has long ago entered the panary repertoire of the goyim, no longer a strange or foreign item.  But the grouping is still apt, as challah is a celebration bread in Jewish tradition, as the rest of the breads this week have been.

Generally speaking, challah is made with a rich dough, like all the other breads this week have been.  But unlike them, it is only mildly sweetened to the point of being nearly savory, and only eggs are used to enrich the dough (as opposed to milk and/or butter), so that the bread may be eaten with meat according to Jewish dietary law.  The gluten structure is well formed here, giving each airy bite a slight pull and pleasant chew.

This recipe uses a lengthy fermentation, giving a fabulous depth of flavor, and excellent texture.  As has become customary in the last century, this loaf is braided, and can be split into however many strands you like (the recipe only uses a 3 strand braid).  But however you choose to form it, this recipe will produce a really excellent bread, no matter if it’s served at your Shabbat meal, or used for the French toast you whip up on Christmas morning.

Challah
Adapted from The Bread Baker’s Apprentice, by Peter Reinhart
Makes 1 large loaf, or two smaller loaves

19 ounces (about 4 cups) unbleached bread flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 whole large eggs, slightly beaten
1 large egg, yolk and white separated
1 cup water, at room temperature

1.  In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast.  Add the oil, eggs, egg yolk, and 1 cup water.  Using the dough hook attachment, mix at low speed until a rough dough forms.

2.  Increase the speed to medium-low, and continue kneading until the dough becomes soft and supple, about 6 minutes.  The dough should not be sticky; add additional flour or water as needed to correct the consistency.

3.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  Shape the dough into a ball by pulling the outside edges into the center, and pressing gently.  Transfer the dough to a large, lightly oiled bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil, leaving the dough smooth side up.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.

4.  Using a large nonstick spatula, tri-fold the dough over itself, as you would fold a letter.  Fold the dough in half, perpendicular to the other folds, as though you were folding the letter in half crossways.  Cover again with plastic wrap, and let sit an additional hour at room temperature.  The dough should be not quite doubled in size.

5.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and gently deflate.  Divide it into 3 equal pieces for 1 large loaf, or 6 pieces for 2 loaves.  Form each of the pieces into a rope as long as the dough will allow, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let rest on the counter for 10 minutes.

6.  Lightly grease a large baking sheet, or line with parchment paper.  Roll each rope into a strand, all of the same length.  Braid three strands together.  Transfer the loaf (or loaves) to the prepared pan.

7.  Beat the remaining egg white with 1 tablespoon water to make an egg wash.  Brush the loaf (or loaves) with the egg wash (refrigerating the remainder).  Cover loosely with lightly oiled plastic wrap, and let sit at room temperature until nearly doubled in size, 60 to 75 minutes.  Thirty minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 350° F, placing an oven rack in the middle position.

8.  Gently brush the loaf (or loaves) again with the egg wash, taking care not to deflate.  Bake at 350º F for 20 minutes.  Rotate the pan 180º and continue baking for 20 to 45 minutes, depending on the size of the loaf (or loaves).  The bread should be a rich golden brown, and and instant-read thermometer should register around 190° F when inserted into the center.  Transfer the bread to a wire rack to cool for at least 1 hour before serving.

Week Fifty-Two: Christmas Breads

In the Ukraine, bread is such a significant part of everyday life that there is an old and, now, formal way of greeting that involves an elaborate presentation of bread and salt, two main dietary staples.  Small wonder, then, that this nation produces some of the more elaborate celebration breads out there.

Today’s bread, kolach, is the traditional centerpiece of the Ukrainian Christmas table.  Named for its shape (”kolo” means ring or circle), kolach is a wreath-shaped or round bread, formed with elaborate braids and twists of dough.  They can range from the merely decorative to the baroque in complexity; here, I’ve used a relatively basic shaping method (with copious photos to help).

The dough is a moderately rich one, with most of the liquid coming from milk, eggs, and butter.  The effect of all this enrichment isn’t heavy, but rather quite light and fluffy.  A short autolyse (or, cat nap after mixing) gives a fantastic and slight pull to the airy crumb, and the result may remind you of a lean brioche.  It was a big hit with my family, and despite the moderate sweetness, it went well with everything from butter and jelly to ham and cheese.

Traditionally, this bread is stacked three rings high, with a candle burning in the middle, but I only went as high as two rings.  I’m unclear if this triple-stacking is meant to happen before or after the bread is baked, so you’ll have to pardon any lack of authenticity here.  But as delicious as this bread is, I doubt I’ll have too many complaints.

Kolach (Ukranian Christmas Bread)
Adapted from King Arthur Flour
Makes 1 round loaf

For the starter:
1/2 cup milk, at room temperature
5 1/2 ounces (about 1 1/4 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons instant yeast

For the dough:
9 ounces (2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup water, at room temperature
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon rum
1 teaspoon lemon extract

1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water to make an egg wash

1.  In a medium bowl, combine the milk, flour, and yeast.  Stir until a sticky dough forms.  Cover loosely and let rest in a warm place until risen and puffy, about 1 hour.

2.  In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine all the remaining ingredients (except egg wash).  Add the starter and mix at low speed, using the dough hook attachment, until just mixed.  Turn the mixer off, and without removing the bowl or dough hook, cover loosely with plastic wrap.  Let stand in place for 15 minutes.

3.  Remove the plastic wrap.  Increase the speed to medium-low, and continue kneading until the dough is soft and smooth, about 6 minutes.  Transfer the dough to a large, lightly oiled bowl.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

4.  Thoroughly butter or grease a 9 inch round pan with tall sides, such as a cake or springform pan.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface.  Divide the dough into two pieces, one slightly larger than the other.

Divide the larger piece into equal halves, and divide the smaller piece into equal thirds.

5.  Shape each piece into a rope about 25 to 30 inches long.  If the dough resists, shape the rope as long as the dough will allow; cover and let rest 5 to 10 minutes before proceeding.

6.  Using the two thicker ropes, cross them on your work surface in an “X” shape.

Starting in the middle, twist the ropes together.

Pinch the ends firmly to seal.

Set the rope aside, and cover loosely.

7.  Using the three smaller ropes, lay them parallel to each other on your work surface.  Starting in the middle, braid them together as shown.

Repeat the braiding on the other half of the ropes.  Pinch the ends firmly to seal.  Set aside and cover loosely.

8.  Arrange the first twisted rope in a circle around the inside bottom edge of the prepared pan.  Pinch the ends together firmly to seal.  The circle of dough may or may not be quite as big as your pan.

Arrange the braided rope in a ring on top of the circle of twisted dough, matching the seams up, and pinching the ends to seal.

This can either be left as is, or you can place a heavily-buttered metal ring 3 inches tall (such as a tall cookie cutter, or a tall tin can opened at both ends) in the center of the ring to help hold its shape.  This will also help the braided dough stay on top of the twisted dough, as it can have a tendency to fall to the inside as the loaf rises.

9.  Cover the dough loosely with lightly greased plastic wrap, and let rise at room temperature until nearly doubled in size, about 1 hour.  Thirty minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 350º F.

10.  Gently brush the dough with the egg wash, taking care not to deflate it.  Bake at 350º F for 15 minutes, then lower the temperature to 325º F and continue baking for 30 minutes more, or until golden brown.  An instant-read thermometer should register 195º to 200º F when inserted into the center.  Remove the bread from the pan, and transfer to a wire rack to cool thoroughly before slicing.

Notes:
1.  To shape the kolach, you may either use a round pan, or you may shape it freeform on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.  This recipe gives directions for using a round pan, but may be easily adapted to a flat baking sheet.  If you bake the kolach in a round pan, as I have done, you will end up with a taller bread.  If you bake it freeform on a baking sheet, you will end up with a flatter, but prettier, loaf, as the braiding and twisting will be wholly visible.