The bakers' thread

[CanucksTraveller]

Those look bloody marvellous. What’s the recipe?

Thank you! Here you go...

275g self raising flour
1 tsp bicarb
1 heaped tsp mustard powder
Half a tsp of fine sea salt
60g of very cold butter (I put it in the freezer for 20 mins)
210ml buttermilk
3 normal sized spring onions, finely sliced.
100g Stilton, crumbled up.
1 beaten egg
Poppy seeds

Sieve the dry ingredients together and stir, grate the butter in, then work them together with fingers until crumbly, like you're making shortcrust.
Pour in the buttermilk, spring onions and Stilton, and mix lightly with a fork until only just combined, try not to overmix.
Bring the dough together into a ball with floured hands, put it on a baking paper lined sheet and flatten it by hand to make a thick disc (a good inch thick). I shapes the edges into a tidy circle with a wooden spatula.
Slice the disc into 6, like a pizza, then just drag the slices out slightly with your knife so they're about 1cm apart. (See pic).
Brush with egg and sprinkle with a handful of poppy seeds. Into the oven at 190 to 200 for about 20 to 25 mins.
The slices meet up again in the oven and it ends up like a tear and share bread.

 

[annedonnelly]

I made hot cross buns too.

Also cheese scones but they weren't as successful as @CanucksTraveller's so no photo!

 

[JtB]

Instead of hot cross buns, a loaf with cinnamon and mixed fruit - delicious.

 

[Reynard]

Mmmmm, that looks good.

 

[numbnuts]

Mince pies, yes I know they should have been hot cross buns, but I don't follow rules

 

[Reynard]

Mince pies, yes I know they should have been hot cross buns, but I don't follow rules
View attachment 581922

Mince pies go down well *any* day of the year as far as I'm concerned

 

[Reynard]

Well, someone's got to go traditional, so it may as well be me LOL (I didn't bake a Babka this year though, as no Easter basket...)

 

[CanucksTraveller]

It's my wife's birthday, she doesn't like birthday cake so I've baked some scones for a cream tea.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

I’m experimenting with a new (to me) method of bread making that I saw on a Paul Hollywood programme. He was talking to Jim Lahey in New York about his no-knead, long fermentation technique, which looked to produce lovely bread so I am giving it a try.

I briefly mixed the dough yesterday at 4pm and left it overnight, knocking it back and shaping it at 9.30am today. It’s very wet, at 75% hydration so gets done in a dutch oven. It came out of the oven about 20 minutes ago and I’m hoping to cut into it by 2pm or so.

I can’t wait!⏱

Photo to follow...

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Well!

While I was hopeful of a good result, this bread is phenomenal; the crust, the flavour, I haven’t baked anything better than this.

A few years ago we had a lovely holiday in Sant’ Agnello, Sorrento, and the hotel had fresh breads every morning from the local panificio. I had a particular favourite which I would gorge on every day and, ever since returning, I have searched for a recipe that would reproduce the flavour, colour and the thin, chewy crust of that loaf.

I think I’ve finally found it.

This was only an experiment so I used half quantities, that’s why it’s such a small boule.
Next week I will do the full sized version but will bake it in my pullman tin with the lid.

Roll on next weekend!

 

[Colin Grigson]

Well!

While I was hopeful of a good result, this bread is phenomenal; the crust, the flavour, I haven’t baked anything better than this.

A few years ago we had a lovely holiday in Sant’ Agnello, Sorrento, and the hotel had fresh breads every morning from the local panificio. I had a particular favourite which I would gorge on every day and, ever since returning, I have searched for a recipe that would reproduce the flavour, colour and the thin, chewy crust of that loaf.

I think I’ve finally found it.

View attachment 582095

View attachment 582097

This was only an experiment so I used half quantities, that’s why it’s such a small boule.
Next week I will do the full sized version but will bake it in my pullman tin with the lid.

Roll on next weekend!

That looks fantastic
Any chance you could post the recipe please

 

[Reynard]

I’m experimenting with a new (to me) method of bread making that I saw on a Paul Hollywood programme. He was talking to Jim Lahey in New York about his no-knead, long fermentation technique, which looked to produce lovely bread so I am giving it a try.

I briefly mixed the dough yesterday at 4pm and left it overnight, knocking it back and shaping it at 9.30am today. It’s very wet, at 75% hydration so gets done in a dutch oven. It came out of the oven about 20 minutes ago and I’m hoping to cut into it by 2pm or so.

I can’t wait!⏱

Photo to follow...

I've done that of a time or two. It's one of those you think is never going to turn out, but it always does... The dough is near enough pourable, like a batter, but gives a damn good loaf.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

That looks fantastic
Any chance you could post the recipe please

https://www.nigella.com/recipes/guests/jim-laheys-basic-no-knead-bread

**Note that I did not follow the method of resting the dough in floured towels, I used a silicone sheet inside a banneton. Doesn’t matter how much I flour a towel, it never comes away cleanly from the dough and usually damages it. When the dough was ready to bake, I inverted the banneton over another silicone sheet and use that to lower the dough into the pot I baked it in.


INGREDIENTS
Yields: One 10-inch / 25cm round loaf

METRIC

• 400 grams bread flour
• 8 grams table salt
• 1 gram instant or other active dry yeast
• 300 grams cool (55-65°F / 12-18°C) water
• wheat bran or cornmeal or additional flour for dusting

METHOD
Basic No-Knead Bread is a guest recipe by Jim Lahey.
Equipment: A 4½- to 5½-quart heavy pot

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, salt, and yeast. Add the water and, using a wooden spoon or your hand, mix until you have a wet, sticky dough, about 30 seconds. Make sure it’s really sticky to the touch; if it’s not, mix in another tablespoon or two of water. Cover the bowl with a plate, tea towel, or plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature (about 72°F / 22°C), out of direct sunlight, until the surface is dotted with bubbles and the dough is more than doubled in size. This will take a minimum of 12 hours and (my preference) up to 18 hours. This slow rise - fermentation - is the key to flavor.
   
   
2. When the first fermentation is complete, generously dust a work surface (a wooden or plastic cutting board is fine) with flour. Use a bowl scraper or rubber spatula to scrape the dough onto the board in one piece. When you begin to pull the dough away from the bowl, it will cling in long, thin strands (this is the developed gluten), and it will be quite loose and sticky - do not add more flour. Use lightly floured hands or a bowl scraper or spatula to lift the edges of the dough in toward the center. Nudge and tuck in the edges of the dough to make it round.
3. Place a cotton or linen tea towel (not terry cloth, which tends to stick and may leave lint in the dough) or a large cloth napkin on your work surface and generously dust the cloth with wheat bran, cornmeal, or flour. Use your hands or a bowl scraper or wooden spatula to gently lift the dough onto the towel, so it is seam side down. If the dough is tacky, dust the top lightly with wheat bran, cornmeal, or flour. Fold the ends of the towel loosely over the dough to cover it and place it in a warm, draft-free spot to rise for 1 to 2 hours. The dough is ready when it is almost doubled. If you gently poke it with your finger, making an indentation about ¼ inch deep, it should hold the impression. If it doesn’t, let it rise for another 15 minutes.
4. Half an hour before the end of the second rise, preheat the oven to 475°F / 245°C, with a rack in the lower third position, and place a covered 4½ - to 5½ -quart / 4¼ - 6¼ litre heavy pot in the center of the rack.
5. Using pot holders, carefully remove the preheated pot from the oven and uncover it. Unfold the tea towel, lightly dust the dough with flour or bran, lift up the dough, either on the towel or in your hand, and quickly but gently invert it into the pot, seam side up. (Use caution - the pot will be very hot) Cover the pot and bake for 30 minutes.
6. Remove the lid and continue baking until the bread is a deep chestnut color but not burnt, 15 to 30 minutes more. Use a heatproof spatula or pot holders to carefully lift the bread out of the pot and place it on a rack to cool thoroughly. Don’t slice or tear into it until it has cooled, which usually takes at least an hour.

 

[Colin Grigson]

https://www.nigella.com/recipes/guests/jim-laheys-basic-no-knead-bread

**Note that I did not follow the method of resting the dough in floured towels, I used a silicone sheet inside a banneton. Doesn’t matter how much I flour a towel, it never comes away cleanly from the dough and usually damages it. When the dough was ready to bake, I inverted the banneton over another silicone sheet and use that to lower the dough into the pot I baked it in.


INGREDIENTS
Yields: One 10-inch / 25cm round loaf

METRIC

• 400 grams bread flour
• 8 grams table salt
• 1 gram instant or other active dry yeast
• 300 grams cool (55-65°F / 12-18°C) water
• wheat bran or cornmeal or additional flour for dusting

METHOD
Basic No-Knead Bread is a guest recipe by Jim Lahey.
Equipment: A 4½- to 5½-quart heavy pot

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, salt, and yeast. Add the water and, using a wooden spoon or your hand, mix until you have a wet, sticky dough, about 30 seconds. Make sure it’s really sticky to the touch; if it’s not, mix in another tablespoon or two of water. Cover the bowl with a plate, tea towel, or plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature (about 72°F / 22°C), out of direct sunlight, until the surface is dotted with bubbles and the dough is more than doubled in size. This will take a minimum of 12 hours and (my preference) up to 18 hours. This slow rise - fermentation - is the key to flavor.
   
   
2. When the first fermentation is complete, generously dust a work surface (a wooden or plastic cutting board is fine) with flour. Use a bowl scraper or rubber spatula to scrape the dough onto the board in one piece. When you begin to pull the dough away from the bowl, it will cling in long, thin strands (this is the developed gluten), and it will be quite loose and sticky - do not add more flour. Use lightly floured hands or a bowl scraper or spatula to lift the edges of the dough in toward the center. Nudge and tuck in the edges of the dough to make it round.
3. Place a cotton or linen tea towel (not terry cloth, which tends to stick and may leave lint in the dough) or a large cloth napkin on your work surface and generously dust the cloth with wheat bran, cornmeal, or flour. Use your hands or a bowl scraper or wooden spatula to gently lift the dough onto the towel, so it is seam side down. If the dough is tacky, dust the top lightly with wheat bran, cornmeal, or flour. Fold the ends of the towel loosely over the dough to cover it and place it in a warm, draft-free spot to rise for 1 to 2 hours. The dough is ready when it is almost doubled. If you gently poke it with your finger, making an indentation about ¼ inch deep, it should hold the impression. If it doesn’t, let it rise for another 15 minutes.
4. Half an hour before the end of the second rise, preheat the oven to 475°F / 245°C, with a rack in the lower third position, and place a covered 4½ - to 5½ -quart / 4¼ - 6¼ litre heavy pot in the center of the rack.
5. Using pot holders, carefully remove the preheated pot from the oven and uncover it. Unfold the tea towel, lightly dust the dough with flour or bran, lift up the dough, either on the towel or in your hand, and quickly but gently invert it into the pot, seam side up. (Use caution - the pot will be very hot) Cover the pot and bake for 30 minutes.
6. Remove the lid and continue baking until the bread is a deep chestnut color but not burnt, 15 to 30 minutes more. Use a heatproof spatula or pot holders to carefully lift the bread out of the pot and place it on a rack to cool thoroughly. Don’t slice or tear into it until it has cooled, which usually takes at least an hour.

Thank you - I must try this

 

[bluenotebob]

A couple of things that I've been making often recently ..

A focaccia with Comté cheese, tomatoes and oregano (sometimes with finely chopped red onion in the dough, sometimes with halved stoned black olives - and sometimes with Reblochon, or Palet de Géant cheese).

There are lots of different types of focaccia in Italy - I'm told this one resembles an Apulian-style focaccia.

And some spelt rolls .. 320g of spelt flour makes 12 small rolls (20 mins at 210C).

My neighbours' kids love these .. and so do I.