Grandma's Kitchen Table

BBA: Roasted Onion and Asiago Miche

      TA DAH!!!!  The forty-fifth (and FINAL) Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) is Roasted Onion and Asiago Miche, and is found on pages 281-283. 

      I made a half recipe of this bread, making 1 very large round-shaped loaf.  The final bread was huge, measuring 12" across. 

      The ingredients:  bread flour, barm, olive oil, water, onions, salt, yeast, chives, scallions, and Asiago cheese.

      This is a three-day dough, providing that you have the barm made ahead of time:  one day for the sponge, one day for mixing and shaping, one day for proofing and baking.   Margaret and I finished this together, and as an extra-special treat, Rebecca decided she would help us celebrate by baking it along with us even though she had completed the challenge two years ago.  The three of us had a great time baking it on Twitter together, and for the first time, we all pretty much started and ended at the same time, proudly showing off our photos before heading out for the rest of our day.
       This was a wonderful bread all on its own, full of flavor with a lovely texture.  It didn't need butter or anything.  The instructions were to wait "for at least 1 hour before slicing or serving."  Do you see all that melty cheese on the top with those onions?  Who is going to wait an hour to have a slice of warm bread with melty cheese and onions?  I'm happy you agree...we didn't wait either. 

      This has to be one of my very favorite breads from this book.  We ate it all on it's own, made grilled cheese with it, used it for lunch sandwich bread, and we still have a piece or two left.  All of it delicious...the cheese and onions remind me of French Onion Soup...and we all know by now that FOS is my final meal...my favorite of all things food.  I'm thinking maybe I should have a little of that last piece with French Onion Soup, or do you think that would be overkill?  Nah.  Definitely a repeat.

      The Bread Baker's Apprentice by Peter Reinhart is a wonderful book.  When I first started baking from it, I knew next to nothing about bread baking. I signed up to do the challenge of making all the recipes in the book, starting at the beginning and continuing through to the end, with an optimistic attitude and not much else by way of skills or knowledge of bread baking.  It didn't matter...the breads are not in order of ease (they are in alphabetical order), so early on I had some tough bread recipes mixed in with the easier ones and you know what?  I had success with them all on the first try (meaning they all looked pretty great and we enjoyed eating them all)...THAT is a great recipe book, to be successful with the recipes on the first try is amazing.  All the recipes worked, all the recipes were delicious...some more so than others, but personal tastes being what they are, that is to be expected.  Now that I've finished making all the recipes, it's time to go back again and again and visit my favorites.  Which ones are my favorites?  Almost all of them...it would be easier to name the one or two that weren't my favorites, but I won't do that as they might be yours and I wouldn't want to influence your decisions on which ones to make or not.  Make them all and decide for yourself...a challenge worth meeting.

      You can visit the main group and marvel the breads.  TA DAH!!!  I FINISHED THE ENTIRE BOOK OF RECIPES. 

BBA: Potato, Cheddar, and Chive Torpedoes

      The forty-fourth Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) is Potato, Cheddar, and Chive Torpedoes, and is found on pages 278-280. 

      I made a half recipe of this bread, making 1 medium-sized torpedo-shaped loaf...with just Mark and I here, it is difficult to eat as much bread as when the boys were home, so smaller recipes 'r us now normally.  That said, Matt was visiting and that loaf disappeared in record time, apparently the athletic training table at college doesn't include homemade bread.

      The ingredients:  potato, potato water, barm, bread flour, yeast, salt, chives, and sharp cheddar cheese.

      This is a one-day dough, providing that you have the barm made ahead of time.   Margaret and I are continuing on in our attempts to finish the book, only one recipe left.
(Photo note:  I didn't plan for that "G" to appear like that, but it was certainly fun that it did since our last name starts with "G" and all.  Cute.) 

      The bread was wonderful all on its own.  It didn't need butter or anything.   I served it with chili and it was perfect...so perfect, in fact, that there wasn't enough left after Mark made a lunch sandwich with it the next day for me to try making a grilled cheese sandwich, so I will need to do that another time.  And, yes, there will be another time...delicious.   Definitely a repeat. 

      You can visit the main group and marvel the breads.  I'm getting there...Slow and Steady.  Our next and FINAL challenge:  Roasted Onion and Asiago Miche, found on pages 281-283.

BBA: Whole-Wheat Bread

      The forty-third Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) is Whole-Wheat Bread, and is found on pages 270-272.  I made the full recipe of this bread, making 2 small loaves (8.5"x4.5"). 

      The ingredients:  whole-wheat flour, water, yeast, buttermilk, salt, honey, vegetable oil, egg, and poppy seeds.

      This is a two-day dough, a few minutes on the first day to mix together the soaker and the poolish, with the main mixing and baking on the second day.  Margaret and I are continuing on in our attempts to finish the book, only two recipes left.  Nancy joined in this week as well, she has a fancy mill that grinds her own whole-wheat flour fresh. 

      These loaves are small and dense, very flavorful with a nutty kind of flavor and an ever-so-slight tang from the buttermilk, the dense texture making great grilled cheese and toast, but also very nice for sandwiches as well as the buttermilk gave the crumb a softer texture, nice for sandwiches made with whole-wheat flour.
      The only thing I changed was that I needed to add 2 Tablespoons more water during the mixing as the dough seemed a bit dry with the combination of the buttermilk and whole-wheat flour.  I probably should have added it at the poolish stage but I didn't think of it then so I added it later and it seemed to work out just fine.  Oh, I wouldn't put the seeds on the top before going into the oven to bake as they just all fell off when I unmolded the bread from the pan.  (I brushed on a bit of butter and then put the seeds back on to stick to that.)  I would make this recipe again for the flavor and the ease of the recipe overall.  Definitely a repeat. 

      You can visit the main group and marvel the breads.  I'm getting there...Slow and Steady.  Our next challenge:  Potato, Cheddar, and Chive Torpedoes, found on pages 278-280.

BBA: White Bread (Variation 3) - Sandwich Buns

      The forty-second Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) is White Bread (Variation 3), and is found on page 269.  I made the full recipe of this bread, using it to make 12 sandwich burger-type rolls. 

      The ingredients:  bread flour, yeast, whole milk, salt, sugar, egg yolk, and butter.  This is a one-day dough.

     Margaret and I are continuing on in our attempts to finish the book, only three recipes left.  The dough is wonderful to work with and the bread has a nice texture that holds up well to ingredients like barbecued pulled pork for sandwiches while watching ballgames, for instance.  In other words, it does not fall apart when moistened by the sauce...very important.
      The flavor is just what you want, a little yeasty bread taste with a nice firm texture.  Definitely a repeat. 

      You can visit the main group and marvel the breads.  I'm getting there...Slow and Steady.  Our next challenge:  Whole-Wheat Bread, found on pages 270-272.

BBA: White Bread (Variation 2) - Dinner Rolls

      The forty-first Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) is White Bread (Variation 2), and is found on page 268.  I made the full recipe of this bread into rolls, it made 18 of them, some to eat and some to freeze for later. 

      The ingredients:  bread flour, sugar, salt, instant yeast, egg, butter, and buttermilk. 

      This is a one-day dough.  Margaret and I are continuing on in our attempts to finish the book in a timely manner and for this week Nancy and JoVonn also joined in for all of us to bake together on Twitter.  Each of the three variations of this white bread recipe can be made into loaves, rolls, or buns, so we all made various versions.
      The dough is wonderful to work with and the bread has a yeasty tangy taste that reminds me of the rolls my grandmother used to make when I was a child...the buttermilk making a nice soft dough with just that little tang of taste that I love.  I think I can say that this is my favorite white dinner roll recipe of the ones that I've made so far.  Definitely a repeat. 

      An additional note about the photo:  you will notice that the rolls are different colors.  I wanted to experiment on "finishes" so I played around a little...the lightest in color has nothing on the top at all, the next lightest in color has an egg white finish, the next lightest in color has a cream finish, and the darkest had an egg wash made of a whole egg and 1 Tablespoon of water whisked together and applied...all finishes were applied after the final rise and before going into the oven to bake.  It was nice to see the differences and I was surprised to see what a difference each finish made.  On this roll, I like them all except maybe the one with no finish as that looks a little pale to me and in order to have it darker, I would need to leave it in longer and risk a tough texture in the roll.

      You can visit the main group and marvel the breads.  I'm getting there...Slow and Steady.  Our next challenge:  White Bread, Variation 3, found on pages 269.

BBA: White Bread (Variation 1)

      The fortieth Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) is White Bread (Variation 1), and is found on pages 265-267.  I made the full recipe of this bread, 2 loaves, one to put into the freezer and one to have on hand. 

      The ingredients:  bread flour, sugar, powdered milk, salt, instant yeast, egg, butter, and water. 

      This is a one-day bread.  Margaret and I are continuing on in our attempts to finish the book in a more timely manner, i.e. we are making definite progress.  Di joined in with us for this bread, her post is here.  This bread is delicious for eating out of hand, using for sandwiches, toasting, and grilled cheese.  It has a nice flavor to it, the dough is lovely to work with, etc., however, I felt it was just a little lacking as compared to Dan Lepard's Milk Loaf which is hands down our favorite eating, toasting, grilled cheesing bread.
      I would not hesitate to make this BBA recipe again, but if I am truthful, I probably won't because the DL Milk Loaf is just that much better in taste for my family.  The only way you will know is if you make them both and have a side by side taste test to decide for yourself.  Either way, you are in for some lovely bread with each of the recipes.

      You can visit the main group and marvel the breads.  I'm getting there...Slow and Steady.  Our next challenge:  White Bread, Variation 2, found on pages 265-268.

BBA: Vienna Bread

      The thirty-ninth Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) is Vienna Bread, and is found on pages 261-264.  I made a half portion of this bread, which was one loaf, I should have made the whole recipe of 2 loaves (and had one to keep on hand in the freezer) as Vienna Bread is one of our very favorites for grilled cheese sandwiches, and this recipe was excellent.   

      The ingredients:  bread flour, sugar, barley malt powder, salt, instant yeast, egg, butter, and water. 

      This is a two-day bread: one hour and fifteen minutes to make a pate fermentee on the first day (one hour of that is a rising time), and another approximately six hours for the assembly, rising times, forming, and baking on the second day. (Really, most of it is rising time, so this is a great bread to make when you are going to be home or out running errands as you can time the rises between other things you are doing, so don't let that 6 hour bit throw you.)
      I managed to again talk Margaret into baking it with me as it is always more enjoyable to be baking along with someone else and she and I are determined to finish the book together. 

      This bread is excellent for eating out of hand, just a really great flavor to it, and it crisps up nicely for grilled cheese sandwiches, definitely a keeper, and definitely one that I will make time and again. 

      (Note:  Please forgive the photo as I forgot to make the slashes in the bread before it went into the oven, so the outside looks rather plain and dull...that, however, does not affect the taste in the least, so when I bake this again, I will sneak in here and change the picture to a more lovely version of the outside of it, but for now I wanted to get this posted and did not have time to again bake a loaf for photo ops.) 

      You can visit the main group and marvel the breads.  I'm getting there...Slow and Steady.  Our next challenge:  White Bread found on pages 265-267.

BBA: Tuscan Bread

      The thirty-eighth Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) is Tuscan Bread, and is found on pages 259-260.  I made a half portion of this bread, which was one small loaf, as I wasn't sure how well-received this was going to be minus the salt as there is no salt in this bread...and quite frankly, what is bread without salt in it?  Apparently the Italians use this bread to serve with salty things so that is why there is no salt in it. 

      The ingredients:  water, bread flour, instant yeast, and olive oil. 

      This is a two-day bread: fifteen minutes to make a paste on the first day, and another approximately five hours for the assembly, rising times, forming, and baking on the second day.  I managed to again talk Margaret into baking it with me as it is always more enjoyable to be baking along with someone else, we were both skeptical at how this was going to taste with no salt, and frankly, we both agreed it was tasteless and we probably would not be making this one again unless we added salt to the recipe.
      I served it with beef stew and it was nice enough with that, Mark enjoyed it that way, and then I also toasted in the oven and put a salty olive spread on top of it to see how that would work, and it did in fact work well, just the right amount of saltiness when you combined the salty olives with the bread in a bite, maybe the Italians do have something going there...leave the salt out of the bread and salt up the toppings! 

      You can visit the main group and marvel the breads.  I'm getting there...Slow and Steady.  Our next challenge:  Vienna Bread found on pages 261-264.

BBA: Swedish Rye (Limpa)

      The thirty-seventh Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) is Swedish Rye (Limpa), and is found on pages 257-258.  I made a half portion of this bread, which was one small loaf, as I wasn't sure how well-received this was going to be with anise and fennel in it, turns out it was very well-received, surprisingly light and delicious. 

      The ingredients:  water, molasses, dried orange peel, ground aniseeds, ground fennel seeds, ground cardamom, barm, white rye flour, bread flour, instant yeast, salt, brown sugar, vegetable oil and an egg white for the egg wash for the top of the loaf. 

      This is a two-day bread: four hours on the first day to make the sponge (and also the barm if you don't have any of that hanging around), and another approximately five hours for the assembly, rising times, forming, and baking on the second day.  I managed to again talk Margaret into baking it with me as it is always more enjoyable to be baking along with someone else, we were both skeptical at how this was going to taste, and both surprised at how much we liked it.
      The flavors do not overpower the bread taste at all, rather they just add a nice little something to it.  It was good eating out of hand, was also nice toasted, and it made a lovely grilled cheese sandwich using Swiss cheese and caramelized onions.  I think I might make this one again sometime.  (And yes, I know the top photo is not good, between the shiny finish from the egg wash and the camera flash at night, it didn't stand much of a chance.  Ah, well, proof I made it!) 

      You can visit the main group and marvel the breads.  I'm getting there...Slow and Steady.  Our next challenge:  Tuscan Bread found on pages 259-260.

BBA: Stollen

      The thirty-sixth Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) is Stollen, and is found on pages 252-256.  I made a half portion of this bread, 1 crescent shaped loaf. 

      The ingredients:  whole milk, all-purpose flour, instant yeast, golden raisins, candied fruit mix (I used dried cherries with the golden raisins), brandy, lemon extract, sugar, salt, grated orange zest, grated lemon zest, cinnamon, unsalted butter, slivered almonds, and powdered sugar. 

      This is a one-day bread: one hour to make the sponge, and another three hours for the assembly, rising times, forming, and baking.  I managed to talk Margaret into baking it with me as it is always more enjoyable to be baking along with someone else...and it was. 

      The dough came together easily, I kneaded it by hand, and it came together in about 5 minutes of steady kneading.  My kitchen was cool so the rising time for the first rise was a little longer than stated, but for the second rise, I parked it by the fire in the fireplace and it was right on the time stated.
       I baked the bread for 40 minutes as it was a smaller loaf and finished by then, cooled it just slightly and (although it said to wait to slice it), we sliced it and ate a piece warm and then I made the rest into French Toast, which was really good (although maybe not politically correct). 

      I would definitely make this one again, I had no idea Stollen was so easy to make, and the process so enjoyable!  This is a wonderful recipe.  You can visit the main group and marvel the breads.  I'm getting there...Slow and Steady.  Our next challenge:  Swedish Rye (Limpa) found on pages 257-258.

BBA: Sunflower Seed Rye

      The thirty-fifth Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) is Sunflower Seed Rye, and is found on pages 249-251.   

      Using the barm I had on hand, I made a half portion of this bread, 1 bread loaf, formed like a regular boule rather than the couronne as shown in the book as a big doughnut shape did not seem as practical here for the way we eat bread. 

      The ingredients:  barm, coarse whole rye (pumpernickel) flour, water, bread flour, instant yeast, sunflower seeds, and salt. 

      This is a two-day bread, one to make the soaker and firm starter, and the next day for the assembly, rising times, forming, and baking.  The dough came together easily, I kneaded it by hand, and it came together in about 5 minutes of steady kneading with mixing in the seeds happening the last 2 minutes.  The rising times were about the same as suggested in the book, and this bread rose better for me than the other sourdoughs.  I baked the bread for the time stated, cooled it just slightly and (although it said to wait at least an hour to slice it), we sliced it and ate it warm with dinner.  Good choice, believe me as it was wonderful warm.
      This was my favorite of the sourdough recipes in this section as the sunflower seeds in the bread give it a nice taste and crunch, we could taste the tang of sourdough, and the texture was soft yet resilient.  It was really good for eating out of hand and for sandwiches.  There wasn't much left, I probably should have made enough for two loaves.  I would definitely make this one again. 

      You can visit the main group and marvel at the breads.  I'm getting there...Slow and Steady.  Our next challenge:  Stollen found on pages 252-256. however, I am going to skip Stollen for now (we have always done the breads in the order the book has them listed but I want to save the Stollen, which is a German Christmas bread, and finish with that instead around Christmas time).  Instead I am moving on to the next bread which is Swedish Rye (Limpa), found on pages 257-258. 

BBA: Pumpernickel Bread

 

      The thirty-fourth Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) is Pumpernickel Bread, and is found on pages 246-248.   

      Using the barm from the original sour dough I made for this section of the book (and by now with multiple dividings and feedings the barm smells sour and has a nice tang to it), I made a full portion of this bread, 2 bread pan loaves, as we wanted to use it for lunch sandwiches and that size fits well in a sandwich baggie.  The rise was not as high as I had hoped (something in me loves a nice high loaf apparently and I am not getting it with these sourdough breads, probably because they aren't supposed to rise that high maybe?). 

      The ingredients:  barm, coarse whole rye (pumpernickel) flour, water, bread flour, brown sugar, cocoa powder, instant yeast, bread crumbs, vegetable oil, and salt. 

      This is a two-day bread, one to make the soaker and firm starter, and the next day for the assembly, rising times, forming, and baking.  The dough came together easily, I kneaded it by hand, as I most always do, and it came together in about 7 minutes of steady kneading.  The rising times were about the same as suggested in the book, but I kept expecting more height, so I let the last rise go a little longer and when nothing more was happening, I baked the bread for the time stated (no real oven spring either), cooled it, and we used it for Ruben sandwiches which was very nice.
      The taste has that nice deep pumpernnickel rye taste and the texture was just the right amount of soft.  Mark used the bread to make his lunch sandwiches today and Matt's going for another Ruben for lunch.  Apparently the bread was a success in taste. 

      And, just in case you were wondering, the addition of that cocoa powder did not make the bread taste like chocolate at all...I tested it to see and I could not detect any chocolate taste.  I figured you were wondering about that, so for all of you non-chocolate lovers out there, rest assured, you can't taste the cocoa in the final bread.   We also could not detect too much of a sourdough flavor...a little, but not as much as we were hoping. 

      I am thinking sourdough breadmaking, all in all, maybe not be my best shot at success.  My attempts have been nowhere near that San Francisco sourdough goodness that we long to taste this side of the Rockies. 

       You can visit the main group and marvel the breads.  I'm getting there...Slow and Steady.  Our next challenge:  Sunflower Seed Rye, found on pages 249-251.

BBA: Poilane-Style Miche

      The thirty-third Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) is Poilane-Style Miche, and is found on pages 242-245.  

      Using the barm from the original sour dough I made for this section of the book (and by now with multiple dividings and feedings the barm smells sour and has a nice tang to it), I made a half portion of this bread as from all accounts, the full-size recipe looked huge and probably not easily consumed by us in the time it would take to eat it before it got stale.  This is the bread pictured on the cover of the book so I was excited to finally get to make the cover recipe after all this time.  (It's the little things, right?) 

      The ingredients:  barm, medium-grind whole-wheat flour, water, and salt. 

      This is a two-day bread, one to make the soaker and firm starter, and the next day for the assembly, rising times, forming, and baking.  I am always amazed that using so few ingredients, and sometimes seemingly the same ones over and over, how different the breads turn out.  I think this is part of the charm of baking bread, just seeing/tasting the variety of results.
      This bread had a nice fine texture (I guess I was expecting a more coarse texture from the whole wheat so I enjoyed having it be such a nice texture), great taste and chew, and we all enjoyed it for just eating out of hand and sandwiches for lunches.  It had a slight sourdough flavor, I guess I was expecting more, but I will keep my starter going to try to achieve more in that regard.  

      I also need to work a little on forming the loaf, and it was the first time I had a chance to use a lame to score the bread so the results were not stellar, but I will keep working on it as it is a fun little tool to have on hand.  I might make this one again actually as we liked the taste and it was fairly easy to make/bake. 

      You can visit the main group and marvel the breads.  I'm getting there...Slow and Steady.  Our next challenge:  Pumpernickel Bread, found on pages 246-248.

BBA: 100% Sourdough Rye Bread

      The thirty-second Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) is 100% Sourdough Rye Bread, and is found on pages 239-241.   

      Using the barm from the original sour dough I made for this section of the book (and by now with multiple dividings and feedings the barm smells sour and has a nice tang to it), I was eager to try this recipe with the rye flours I purchased for this section from the KAF catalog. 

      The ingredients:  barm, white rye, coarse whole rye (pumpernickel), water, salt, and caraway seeds. 

      This is a two-day bread, one to make the soaker and firm starter, and the next day for the assembly, rising times, forming, and baking.  I had seen other posts for this bread where the rise was not decidedly high so I was expecting to get less of a rise than most other breads.  (Please note that I only made this recipe once and I don't feel that was probably a fair assessment of rising, etc. as I am not experienced with sour doughs, etc.)  That said, I wasn't happy with the height of the bread at all.
      It was sort of flat and low and while the taste was actually quite good, a nice rye taste with a tight crust that gave a nice chew, it wasn't a very pretty loaf at all.  We did like the caraway seed flavor in it. 

      Mark enjoyed it for sandwiches for lunches so it was worth making, but I doubt that I will make this one again.  It was a good learning experience, just not sure this whole rye/sourdough thing is something I want to spend a lot of time on. 

      You can visit the main group and marvel the breads.  I'm getting there...Slow and Steady.  Our next challenge:  Poilane-Style Miche, found on pages 239-241.

BBA: New York Deli Rye

      The thirty-first Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) is New York Deli Rye, and is found on pages 236-238.   

      Using the barm from the previous bread recipe, I made the second recipe in the sourdough section in 2 loaf pans so that we could use the bread easily for sandwiches and Rubens, my favorite use of rye bread.  This was wonderful bread for Rubens because it has onions in the dough which added a little extra fun and flavor to the sandwiches.  

      The ingredients:  barm, white rye flour, water, onions, vegetable oil, bread flour, brown sugar, salt, instant yeast, caraway seeds, and buttermilk or milk. 

      The process for making this one was easier than the Basic Sourdough Bread and I always love when I can throw something in a pan for forming as I am not that great at the free formed loaves which always manage to look lopsided.
      This is an easy bread to make so I'm thinking it's going to see a lot of play on Ruben sandwich days.  Delicious.  Really really good.  

      You can visit the main group and marvel the breads.  I'm getting there...Slow and Steady.  Our next challenge:  100% Sourdough Rye Bread, found on pages 239-241.

BBA: Basic Sourdough Bread

      The thirtieth Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) is Basic Sourdough Bread, and is found on pages 233-235.   

      The bread dough takes a seed culture which we made, taking the better part of a week but was not viable, so I tossed it all out and started over again.  At the end of the next week, it was still slow, earning the name Slo Mo, but it was good enough to make the first of the sourdough breads. 

      Ingredient list for seed culture:  rye, bread flour, water.  After the seed culture is made, the barm step is next, ingredients for that are bread flour, water, seed culture.  Finally we get to the Basic Sourdough Bread recipe and the ingredients for that are barm, bread flour, water, bread flour, salt, and water. 

      The process for making the bread is pretty much the same as any bread, the main difference being the sour taste from the starter.  Since you don't use all of the barm, it stays behind in the refrigerator to be fed and used for other loaves of sourdough bread.  The longer it lives, the deeper the sourdough flavor, and I could taste the difference already between the first loaves I made and the additional ones at the end of the week.
      The dough recipe made two 1-1/2 pound loaves.  Matt ate most all of it...one one day and the other another day.  I think I had one slice and Mark had a couple, but Matt really loved this bread.  So much so, that I made another two loaves at the end of the week as Margaret was baking them and I decided to just join in since I knew Matt would love to see more of this bread.  Delicious.  Really really good.  

      You can visit the main group and marvel the breads.  I'm getting there...Slow and Steady.  Our next challenge:  New York Deli Rye, found on pages 236-238.

BBA: Pugliese

      The twenty-ninth Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) is Pugliese, and is found on pages 222-226.   

      This is a two-day dough: a small amount of time on the first day to make the biga and let it rise for a couple of hours and then into the refrigerator for an overnight stay.  Ingredient list for biga:  bread flour, yeast, water. 

      The next day you take the biga out to warm for about an hour and mix it with the other ingredients and then do the fold and stretch method 3 times with 30 minute intervals before it rises for two hours.  After this rise, it is taken from the bowl, carefully cut into two sections (you can see I'm not that great at getting even halves, no matter), and make boules, letting those rise each in a proofing bowl for another 90 minutes.  After that time, you carefully turn it out onto the cooking surface, slash the top, and bake for about 25 minutes, using techniques shown in the book for hearth baking.
      Can you believe the holes I got on my very first try???  I couldn't believe it either, not bad for a first try. 

      The dough recipe made two one-pound loaves.  Ingredient list for bread dough:   Duram flour and Bread flour (or Bread flour only which is what I used), salt, yeast, mashed potatoes, and water. 

      Delicious.  Really really good.  Definitely a repeat, another one of my favorites so far.  

      You can visit the main group and marvel the breads.  I'm getting there...Slow and Steady.  Our next challenge:  Basic Sourdough Bread, found on pages 233-235.

BBA: Potato Rosemary Bread (Rolls)

      The twenty-eighth Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) is Potato Sweet Bread (Rolls), and is found on pages 219-221.   

      This is a two-day dough: a small amount of time on the first day to make the biga and let it rise for a couple of hours and then into the refrigerator for an overnight stay.  Ingredient list for biga:  bread flour, yeast, water. 

      The next day you take the biga out to warm for about an hour and mix it with the other ingredients for a two hour rise, form into bread or rolls, let it rise another hour or two.       The dough made 18 rolls of 2 ounce size and they were brushed with olive oil before they baked for 25 minutes.  Ingredient list for bread dough:   Bread flour, salt, pepper, yeast, mashed potatoes, olive oil, rosemary, and water.  Delicious.  Definitely a repeat, one of my favorites so far.  

      You can visit the main group and marvel the breads.  I'm getting there...Slow and Steady.  Our next challenge:  Pugliese, found on pages 222-226.

BBA: Portuguese Sweet Bread

      The twenty-seventh Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) is Portuguese Sweet Bread, and is found on pages 215-218.   

      This is a one-day dough: a small amount of time to make the sponge and let it rise for an hour and then it gets mixed with sugar, salt, powdered milk, butter, shortening, eggs, lemon extract, orange extract, vanilla extract, bread flour, and water. 

      From there it gets kneaded for about ten minutes, rises for about two hours, formed into a boule and placed into a pie tin to rise for another two to three hours, and then baked for nearly an hour.   Mine baked slightly less, about 50 minutes until it tested done.  All fairly easy actually, although it took a good bit of a day, it was mostly just letting it rise for the three rises.        The recipe makes two one pound loaves, but I just made one as I wanted to use it for French Toast on Sunday morning.  The bread itself is crusty on the outside and very light on the inside, good for soaking up the egg mixture.  The fruity taste in the bread makes excellent tasting French Toast. 

      This was a great recipe and one that I will make again for French Toast...not too sure we would like it as sandwich bread due to the fruity taste, except for ham sandwiches as I think it would be lovely with ham and cheese, but most other things, I think not so much.  Yes, it's one worthy of a repeat.

  

      You can visit the main group and marvel the breads.  I'm getting there...Slow and Steady.  Our next challenge:  Potato Rosemary Bread, found on pages 219-221.

 

BBA: Poolish Baguettes

The twenty-sixth Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) is Poolish Baguettes, and is found on pages 213-214. 

This is a two-day dough: a small amount of time on the first day to make the poolish and then it sits in the refrigerator overnight until the next day when you do the shaping and baking.  Di, Margaret, and I were making this together on Twitter this weekend, Friday and Saturday, but someone (that would be ME) forgot to make the poolish on Friday, so it ended up being a Saturday and Sunday deal instead as they were kind enough to wait on me even though Di's poolish was threatening to overtake her refrigerator...we all agreed, this was one really nice dough to work with. 

Whole Wheat Flour, Bread or AP Flour (I used AP), salt, yeast, and water are all you need.  Mixing is easy, the shaping is something I need to work on, but I'm a rookie so I just call all my breads "rustic" and leave it at that.  No one here seems to mind.

The recipe makes 3 small baguettes, but I wanted to use my bannetons, so I made one long thin baguette and then one shorter, more oval in shape baguette because that size works better for sandwiches for the guys, which is how they will use it this week.
Although the recipe is simple and straight-forward, I did note in my book that there is a lot of sitting around time, i.e. 4 hours on counter with the poolish the first day, and then the next day the bread dough has two 2 hour rises and then another hour rise after it is formed.  That's a whole lot of rising times to factor into your schedule if you are out and needing to be back at certain intervals.  Was it worth it?  Absolutely...this is one of my favorite breads for taste alone so far.  Definitely a repeat, Mark was especially thrilled with it.

Nancy, Di, Leslie, Margaret and I are baking on a slower schedule.  If you would like to see their Poolish Baguettes, click on their names and visit their sites, or you can visit the main group and marvel how they are so far ahead of us.  We'll get there...Slow and Steady.  Our next challenge:  Portuguese Sweet Bread, found on pages 215-218.

BBA: Pizza Napoletana

The twenty-fifth Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) is Pizza Napoletana, and is found on pages 207-212. 

This is a two-day dough: a day to make the dough and then it sits in the refrigerator overnight until the next day when you do the shaping and baking.  (It has the added instructions in the book for making it and freezing the dough for later use.)  Flour, salt, yeast, olive oil, and water are all you need. 

Mixing is easy, the shaping a little more difficult as I had trouble stretching the dough in the manner he suggested (putting it over my knuckles and stretching) so that needs more practice by me for sure.  I ended up just putting it down and shaping it that way.  I also ended up baking it on parchment paper as I could not get it to move off onto the stone without the parchment paper, actually we liked that way and it kept the crust a little more tender, which we like in a pizza crust.  Might do that again. 

We enjoyed the flavor of the pizza crust, so I will be making this often as the guys love pizza.  Definitely a repeat.

Nancy, Cathy, Jessica, Melissa, Sarah, Di, Leslie, Margaret and I are baking on a slower schedule.  If you would like to see their Pizza Dough, click on their names and visit their sites, or you can visit the main group and marvel how they are so far ahead of us.  We'll get there...Slow and Steady.  Our next challenge:  Poolish Baguettes, found on pages 213-214.

BBA: Panettone

The twenty-fourth Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) is Panettone, and is found on pages 202-206.

This is a six-day bread:  four days to make the seed culture, one more for the barm, and then one for the actual Panettone bread making, shaping, and baking. 

I always think of this as an Italian holiday bread as you can usually find it in the specialty stores at Christmas time, and sometimes around Easter.  It has a rather sweet flavor, but not too sweet.
There are dried fruits, blanched almonds, vanilla, rum, and Fiori di Sicilia (which I love...it has a sort of floral scent and I can't begin to describe the flavor, just so good) in it.  I baked mine in two six inch cake pans as was suggested, lining them with a parchment round on the bottom and parchment collars to help the shape of the bread as it rose. 

Was it worth all this trouble?  Absolutely...a wonderful bread eating out of hand and even more wonderful toasted. The flavor of the bread is delicious...all those long days of making that barm!  Definitely a repeat.

Nancy, Cathy, Jessica, Melissa, Sarah, Di, Leslie, Margaret and I are baking on a slower schedule.  If you would like to see their Panettone, click on their names and visit their sites, or you can visit the main group and marvel how they are so far ahead of us.  We'll get there...Slow and Steady.  Our next challenge:  Pizza Napoletana, found on pages 207-212.

BBA: Pane Siciliano

The twenty-third Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) is Pane Siciliano, and is found on pages 198-201. 

This is a three-day bread, one day for the pate fermentee, one for the making and shaping, and then one day for the baking.  I had a lot more success with the shaping of this bread than I did with the epi.  The recipe makes three loaves which you form like baguettes and then elongate and roll from each end in opposite manners to form the "S" shape.  Once they are formed the loaves go into the refrigerator for overnight, come back out the next morning and rise a little before baking. 

I loved the shape of this bread, so I am hoping to do it with other recipes as the actual recipe for the dough for this one was not my favorite due to the semolina flour in it, just didn't really like that combination in a bread as much as I have liked other breads we have made.  The guys liked it, however.
One of my loaves rose like crazy, so I baked it the evening of the second day so that I could see how it compared with waiting the extra day for additional flavor.  It was okay, but the other two loaves which remained in the refrigerator overnight and were baked the next day had a far superior flavor and texture.  The extra day was worth it. 

Will I make this one again?  Probably not, unless the guys request it as we loved so many of the other breads that it seems silly to make this one again which was just so-so.  I will make this "S" shape again though, it was a lot of fun and looks so special, definitely a repeat with that part.  Will try that shape with the BBA Italian Bread dough next just to see.

Nancy, Cathy, Jessica, Melissa, Sarah, Di, Leslie, Margaret and I are baking on a slower schedule.  If you would like to see their Pain a l'Ancienne, click on their names and visit their sites, or you can visit the main group and marvel how they are so far ahead of us.  We'll get there...Slow and Steady.  Our next challenge:  Panettone, found on pages 202-206.

BBA: Pain de Campagne

The twenty-second Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) is Pain de Campagne, and is found on pages 195-197. 

This is a two-day bread, one day for the pate fermentee and then one day for the making, shaping, and baking.  Shaping, oh yeah, that was the interesting part.  The bread dough came together easily and was a very nice dough to work with.  There were various shapes shown in the book, but at first sight I fell in love with the epi (like a stalk of wheat) and was hoping I could achieve at least something epi-ish. 

The first go was a fail...not very epi-ish and a little discouraging.  Then Nancy gave me a link to a site that showed how to do it with the cuts in the bread and the pulling this way and that and armed with this new knowledge, I tried again.  Better this time.  Not perfect, but then the people making these for the photos have probably made hundreds of these loaves and have it down to an exact method...when I get to my 100th loaf, I'm sure it will look as perfect as theirs.  That's the hope anyway.  Until then, here is my second try at forming an epi and I have a long way to go, but at least I tried it! 

Nancy, Cathy, Jessica, Melissa, Sarah, Di, Leslie, Margaret and I are baking on a slower schedule.  If you would like to see their Pain a l'Ancienne, click on their names and visit their sites, or you can visit the main group and marvel how they are so far ahead of us.  We'll get there...Slow and Steady.  Our next challenge:  Pane Siciliano, found on pages 198-201.

BBA: Pain a l'Ancienne

The twenty-first Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) is Pain a l'Ancienne, and is found on pages 190-194. 

This is a two-day bread, and I thought it was going to be complicated because it was such, but in fact, it is one of the easier breads that we have made so far.  Sure, the dough is a bit difficult to handle because it is so wet, but we have tricks for that which we have already learned from the other breads.  There is really very little handling of the dough.  I was so excited that I managed to get big holes inside, it looks even better than my ciabatta did as far as getting the proper holes inside the bread. The baking is simple, preparing the oven for hearth baking only takes a few moments, and other than misting the oven for a bit every 30 seconds in the beginning, there's not much else to do that requires babysitting.  My kind of bread on a busy day. 

Mark and Matt finished off both of these loaves in one meal, minus the two little slices that I had, and both expressed a great desire to have it again soon.  I only made a half recipe, and saved a third of that to make a pizza for Friday night as the author suggested using this dough for pizza, giving the instructions for that as well. The dough works great as a pizza, light and flavorful with just a little bit of chew to it.  It managed to support the Greek inspired toppings (Olive Oil, Caramelized Onions, Sliced Tomato, Kalamata Olives, Feta Cheese, Basil, Oregano, and Pine Nuts) quite nicely and remain crisp right until the last bite. 

Nancy, Cathy, Jessica, Melissa, Sarah, Di, Leslie, Margaret and I are baking on a slower schedule.  If you would like to see their Pain a l'Ancienne, click on their names and visit their sites, or you can visit the main group and marvel how they are so far ahead of us.  We'll get there...Slow and Steady.  Our next challenge:  Pain de Campagne, found on pages 194-197.

BBA: Multigrain Bread Extraordinaire

The twentieth Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) is Multigrain Bread Extraordinaire, and is found on pages 187-189. 

 

This is a great tasting bread.  Oh, I know, it isn't much in the looks department, but believe me, it is very tasty and delicious.  I have no idea why the inside of my bread looks like it wasn't fully mixed, with the different colors from the different grains here and there, because I kneaded this for the correct amount of time, it reached all the "ready" tests for texture and temperature, but it still looks in the final stage, like it isn't properly mixed.  Feel free to chime in either email or comment section why you think that might be.  It did not affect the taste, however, it was just delicious.

Makes great toast and grilled cheese as well as sandwiches.  Definitely a repeat.

Nancy, Cathy, Jessica, Melissa, Sarah, Di, Leslie, Margaret and I are baking on a slower schedule.  If you would like to see their Marbled Rye, click on their names and visit their sites, or you can visit the main group and marvel how they are so far ahead of us.  We'll get there...Slow and Steady.  Our next challenge:  Pain a l'Ancienne, found on pages 190-194.

BBA: Marbled Rye Bread

The nineteenth Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) is Marbled Rye Bread, and is found on pages 183-186. 

 

This was a fun bread.  You get to make two different kinds of rye dough, one light and one dark, and then stack the pieces layering them together, the end result being a swirl in the bread.
I know, thrills are cheap these days, but this was just so much fun to do!  The bread was so pretty on the outside, so much fun on the inside, and tasted so very good.  I will definitely make this again.  We used it today for making Rueben sandwiches and it was absolutely wonderful.  Definitely a repeat.
Nancy, Cathy, Jessica, Melissa, Sarah, Di, Leslie, Margaret and I are baking on a slower schedule.  If you would like to see their Marbled Rye, click on their names and visit their sites, or you can visit the main group and marvel how they are so far ahead of us.  We'll get there...Slow and Steady.  Our next challenge:  Multigrain Bread Extraordinaire, found on pages 187-189.

BBA: Light Wheat Bread

The eighteenth Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) was Light Wheat Bread, and is found on pages 181-182. 

 

This was an easy bread, gave me a chance to work with whole wheat flour as the recipe uses both that and bread flour.  I decided to change it just a bit as it called for powdered milk and water.  I cannot stand the taste of powdered milk, so I just used whole milk in place of the other two ingredients. 
The bread was wonderful, soft and lovely for sandwiches and just crackly nice for toast.  Definitely a repeat.

 

Nancy, Cathy, Jessica, Melissa, Sarah, Di, Leslie, Margaret and I are baking on a slower schedule.  If you would like to see their Lavash, click on their names and visit their sites, or you can visit the main group and marvel how they are so far ahead of us.  We'll get there...Slow and Steady.  Our next challenge:  Marbled Rye Bread, found on pages 182-186.

BBA Challenge: Lavash

The seventeenth Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) was Lavash, and is found on pages 178-180. 

 

Lavash is a sort of bread that is more like a cracker, thin and crispy.  You don't need any special ingredients, just bread flour, salt, yeast, honey, vegetable oil, water, and whatever topping you desire, i.e. seeds, salt, etc. 

 

My first attempt with it turned out well, was very tasty, and easy enough to make without a lot of fuss.  I am eager to make it again so that I can roll the dough even thinner now that I know how it handles, what to expect from it, how it bakes, etc.  The edges of my first attempt were nice and crispy, but toward the middle it was a little thicker and while it tasted wonderful, it wasn't as crispy and crackly as the edges.  Practice makes perfect, and I intend to practice this one again soon. 
The directions show you how to make the crackers a uniform size and shape or instruct you how to break the baked bread into shards.  I liked the look of the shards, so I went with that method.  We ate it with cheese and also with sweet jalapeno jam, both delightful.  While the topping list can be varied, I made mine with toasted sesame seeds and sea salt, a great combination for us. 

 

Nancy, Cathy, Jessica, Melissa, Sarah, Di, Leslie, Margaret and I are baking on a slower schedule.  If you would like to see their Lavash, click on their names and visit their sites, or you can visit the main group and marvel how they are so far ahead of us.  We'll get there...Slow and Steady.  Our next challenge:  Light Wheat Bread, found on pages 181-182.

BBA: Kaiser Rolls

The sixteenth Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) was Kaiser Rolls, and is found on pages 175-177.   

 

This was another of the two-day breads in this section of the book, calling for the pâte fermentée  like the French Bread.  By this point, I am no longer intimidated by the thought of two-day breads as it is just a matter of being organized and realizing you get to spread the work out over two days.  Sometimes I don't have two days in a row to mess with bread, but the dough keeps in the frig for up to three days, so am more relaxed about that aspect as well.  Nancy has even frozen her starter dough and taken it out and put it back in a few times and says it is still one of the best breads she has made using it.  I am a lot less intimidated (saving that for the upcoming sourdough section, yikes).   

 

The Kaisers were a big hit here, I had one, the guys polished off the rest and then I made them again as Mark wanted them for lunch for his sandwiches all week. 

 

The dough is nice and easy to work with, the rising times and sitting around times have to be attended to, so these are not exactly a quick run, but the flavor makes them well worth it, very fresh and nice and much better than the ones I can get around here. 

 

I do not have a fancy cutter for the top, so I used the knot method, which takes some practice.  I am getting better the more I do it.  Sometimes they go in looking really great and rise funny and come out looking very individualistic.  I like that, too.  Perfect for sandwiches, give them a try, they are just downright fun to make. 

 

Nancy, Cathy, Jessica, Melissa, Sarah, Di, Leslie, Margaret and I are baking and posting every other week to better fit into our schedules.  If you would like to see their Kaiser Rolls, click on their names and visit their sites in the next few days, or you can visit the main group and marvel how they are so far ahead of us.  We'll get there...Slow and Steady.  Our next challenge:  Lavash, found on pages 178-180.

BBA: Italian Bread

The fifteenth Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) was Italian Bread, and is found on pages 172-173.   

 

I decided to just go on a bread making spree and this was the third of the two-day breads in this section of the book.  This one called for a biga dough to spend the night in the refrigerator gathering enhanced flavoring and developing the yeast, etc.  It was easy to put together and easy to work with the following day when making the bread. 
Definitely the bread had great texture and flavor.  It is one of our favorites.  I thought it was a little less fussy than the French Bread, but might be because there were just two loaves and I seemed to have an easier time forming them.

 

We used the bread for two days for sandwiches, with English Onion Soup (worked well toasted for the croutons for that), and just eating out of hand.  I will be making this one often as Mark really loved using this to make his sandwiches.  

 

Nancy, Cathy, Jessica, Melissa, Sarah, Di, Leslie, Margaret and I are baking and posting every other week to better fit into our schedules.  If you would like to see their Italian Bread, click on their names and visit their sites in the next few days, or you can visit the main group and marvel how they are so far ahead of us.  We'll get there...Slow and Steady.  Our next challenge:  Kaiser Rolls, found on pages 175-177.

BBA: French Bread

The fourteenth Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) was French Bread, and is found on pages 168-171. 

 

This was another of the two-day breads, where you make pâte fermentée the day before you want to make the bread so that it can sit in the refrigerator overnight to enhance the growth of the dough, giving it better flavor and texture, etc.  After being stymied by the Focaccia, I just got busy making the next three breads so that I could get caught up with things around BBA Slow & Steady. 

 

This bread was fun, easy, and turned out very nicely for a first attempt.  I think my loaves need a little work in their presentation, but all in all, we were all happy with the results.  The flavor was very good. 
I must admit I was feeling a little defeated when I first started as I had read in Julia Child's biography about how she made hundreds and hundreds of loaves of French Bread trying to perfect it and get it to equal as close to that she could buy in France as she could.  I was figuring my chances were not that great on just the one time beginner status.  However, all credit due to this book and the recipes in it, I had three really nice baguettes when I finished, very exciting!  Will make this often as it is much easier and tastier than one would think, and much better than I can get at the stores around me.

 

Nancy, Cathy, Jessica, Melissa, Sarah, Di, Leslie, Margaret and I are baking and posting every other week to better fit into our schedules.  If you would like to see their French Bread, click on their names and visit their sites in the next few days, or you can visit the main group and marvel how they are so far ahead of us.  We'll get there...Slow and Steady.   Our next challenge:  Italian Bread, found on pages 172-173.

BBA: Focaccia

The thirteenth Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) was Focaccia, and is found on pages 159-167.

 

I know it has been awhile since I posted any of the BBA breads as I sort of stymied over the Focaccia.  For a long time I couldn't figure out what it was that was making me have Focaccia Phobia, as my other BBA baking buddies were all having a great time with it and producing wonderful results.  Then I figured it out: I didn't really like the Focaccia I had eaten before, the recipe/directions/photos in the book took up NINE pages, and the whole process was scheduled to take two days.  Somehow that all just seemed intimidating at the time. 

 

Then one day, I just got up and decided that was THE DAY to start the Focaccia.  It was easy, didn't really take all that much time since most of the time it sits in the frig just minding its own business, and most of all, it was delicious.  The dough's stint overnight in the refrigerator enhances the flavors.  I made only half a batch as my side by side refrigerator would not hold the size of pan for a whole recipe.   

 

The thing that was most surprising to me was that it was light and airy and sort of just melted in your mouth.  All of the Focaccia I had eaten in the past was heavy and dull and kind of gummy in my mouth, often over-spiced with ingredients that had sort of a fake taste.  PR's recipe is nothing like those, it is absolutely wonderful.

 

In hindsight, it was a good thing I only made half a batch as this is very dangerous stuff to have around.  It's good with a meal, as sandwich material, and excellent all on its own for a snack.  Definitely something I will be baking now and again, so worth it.    

 

Nancy, Cathy, Jessica, Melissa, Sarah, Di, Leslie, Margaret and I are baking and posting every other week to better fit into our schedules.  If you would like to see their Focaccia, click on their names and visit their sites in the next few days, or you can visit the main group and marvel how they are so far ahead of us.  We'll get there...Slow and Steady.  Our next challenge:  French Bread, found on pages 168-171.

BBA Challenge: English Muffins and English Muffin Bread

The twelfth Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) is English Muffins (or English Muffin Bread Loaf), and is found on pages 157-158.   

 

I decided to make both.  The recipe makes six English Muffins, or one loaf, and I figured as long as I was in it, I might as well do both as 6 English Muffins or 1 loaf would not last long here at all with the guys. 

 

I am never buying English Muffins at the store again as these were so wonderful, no comparison.  The recipe is easy, who knew you could make English Muffins at home this easily?  They even split with a fork nicely. 

 

I toasted one up right away for Mark and I, so we shared this one with the strawberry jam on it.  A big hit.  Neither of us could get over how tasty these are freshly made like this.
  The English Muffin Bread Loaf, likewise, was absolutely delicious, especially toasted, which is how I like to eat it best.   

 

This is sometimes difficult to find in the stores and bakeries, so I am thrilled to be able to make this one at home now.  And I will.  Buy the book, have at it, you will love these homemade English Muffins and loaves.  

 

Nancy, Cathy, Audrey, Jessica, Melissa, Sarah, Di, Leslie, Margaret and I are baking and posting every other week to better fit into our schedules.  If you would like to see their English Muffins, click on their names and visit their sites in the next few days, or you can visit the main group and marvel how they are so far ahead of us.  We'll get there...Slow and Steady.

 

Our next challenge:  Focaccia, found on pages 159-167, there are several photos and variations shown in the book, including a pizza style.  It will be posted here in two weeks.

BBA Challenge: Cranberry-(Not Walnut) Celebration Bread

The eleventh Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) is Cranberry-Walnut Celebration Bread, and is found on pages 154-156.  My version of this recipe is just Cranberry Celebration Bread as it would be no celebration around here if I put nuts IN it, so this one is sans the walnuts. 
The recipe was easy, ingredients were reminiscent of Thanksgiving with the Cranberry Orange Relish that accompanies dinner, and it was very nice as we all enjoy that.  In the book the bread is suggested as a braid or a loaf and I chose a loaf as I knew we would all want to toast it and eat it as grilled cheese somehow, so I figured a loaf would be a better shape. 

 

We enjoyed just eating a slice of it, it was very nice toasted, and it makes a great grilled cheese sandwich with roasted turkey and a slice of cheddar inside.  I will be making this one again, a great find.   

 

Nancy, Cathy, Audrey, Jessica, Melissa, Sarah, Di, Leslie, Margaret and I are baking and posting every other week to better fit into our schedules.  If you would like to see their Cranberry-Walnut Celebration Bread, click on their names and visit their sites in the next few days, or you can visit the main group and marvel how they are so far ahead of us.  We'll get there...Slow and Steady.

 

Our next challenge:  English Muffins, found on pages 157-158.  It will be posted here in two weeks.

BBA Challenge: Cornbread

The tenth Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) is Cornbread, and is found on pages 150-153.  (Oh, and in case you are wondering, Typepad went to a New Improved Typepad and I can't figure out size, spacing, paragraphing, etc., so until I do...you are subjected to what you see.  Any help?)

  

We all enjoy cornbread around here, and to be quite honest, the only way I ever serve it is to accompany chili.  Last week I asked for some alternate suggestions and Holly and Jessica came up with serving it with Chicken Corn Chowder, so that's what I did.  It was wonderful with Chicken Corn Chowder.

 

The recipe for the cornbread has bacon in it, so figured it would be a hit with the guys.   I had decided to make only half a recipe as a full one sounded way too large for one meal and the guys don't really like leftover cornbread so much.  The photo shows it made in an 8" cake pan.

 

The only downside for me was that I am not a fan of using bacon grease in cooking.  I know, I know, Iowa chick that I am and all, I did grow up with people doing that, and I never cared for it then either.  It's too strong of a taste for me.  In this recipe, PR has us greasing the pan with bacon 1 T. bacon grease (for my half size recipe, 2 T for a whole) and that just made it too greasy of a taste for me, so I was not that thrilled with that part of it.  Next time I won't do that part.

   

Overall, a big hit here...highly recommend giving it a try with or without the Chicken Corn Chowder.

 

Nancy, Cathy, Audrey, Jessica, Melissa, Sarah, Di, Leslie, Margaret and I are baking and posting every other week to better fit into our schedules.  If you would like to see their Cornbread, click on their names and visit their sites in the next few days, or you can visit the main group and marvel how they are so far ahead of us.  We'll get there...Slow and Steady. 

 

    Our next challenge:  Cranberry-Walnut Celebration Bread, found on pages 154-156.  It will be posted here in two weeks.

 

BBA Challenge: Cinnamon Raisin Walnut Bread

   The ninth Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) is Cinnamon Raisin Walnut Bread, and is found on pages 147-149.  

   This is the best Cinnamon Raisin Bread recipe I have ever tasted.  Ever.  (Oh, yeah, I left out the walnuts as we aren't big on nuts baked IN things around here.)  The guys thought it was the best, too.  It is wonderful just eaten out of hand, but it is also particularly tasty toasted warm in the morning:  the choice of toppings:  Mark, butter; Matt, butter; Alex, butter and cinnamon sugar; myself, a little bit of cream cheese.  I am thinking a little smear of peanut butter would work nicely as well. 

  The recipe was easy, the dough absolutely lovely to work with, the smell of cinnamon, sugar, yeast, etc. intoxicating, and while it made two loaves, I hid the second in the freezer before they knew there were two so that it would last longer.

      Tomorrow will finish it all off, then I need to decide:  do I dare make it again so soon?  Definitely a treat.  Definitely a keeper.  Buy the book and make this one even if you don't make anything else!

   Nancy, Cathy, Audrey, Jessica, Melissa, Sarah, Di, Leslie, Margaret and I are baking and posting every other week to better fit into our schedules.  If you would like to see their Cinnamon Raisin Walnut Bread, click on their names and visit their sites in the next few days, or you can visit the main group and marvel how they are so far ahead of us.  We'll get there...Slow and Steady. 

    Our next challenge:  Cornbread, found on pages 150-153.  It will be posted here in two weeks.

BBA Challenge: Cinnamon Buns

   The eighth Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) was Cinnamon Buns, and is found on pages 143-146.  

   These are Cinnamon Buns, not really the Cinnamon Rolls as I grew up knowing them from my Granny Franny's kitchen in Keota, my most favorite of all Cinnamon Rolls ever ever ever.  

   That said, these Cinnamon Buns were very nicely flavored, having more of a bread texture, less of a sweet bread texture than what I would call a Cinnamon Roll, which seems more bread-cake-like to me.  The recipe was easy, the dough was a joy to work with, the whole process didn't take all that long, most of the time involved is letting the dough rise at various times. 

   Definitely delicious, definitely a repeat, definitely a hit with the guys around here who know a thing or two about Cinnamon Rolls/Buns. 

   Nancy, Cathy, Audrey, Jessica, Melissa, Sarah, Di, Leslie, Margaret and I are baking and posting every other week to better fit into our schedules.  If you would like to see their Cinnamon Buns (or Sticky Buns), click on their names and visit their sites in the next few days, or you can visit the main group and marvel how they are so far ahead of us.  We'll get there...Slow and Steady. 

    Our next challenge:  Cinnamon Raisin Walnut Bread, found on pages 147-149.  It will be posted here in two weeks.

BBA: Ciabatta

   The seventh Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) was Ciabatta, and is found on pages 135-142. 

   The word ciabatta in Italian means "slipper" or "shoe."  The author relates how this style of bread appeared mid-20th Century in the Lake Como area in northern Italy, and how the originator of the bread described his bread as resembling the ballet slippers worn by the dancers in that area, naming it Ciabatta di Como (slipper bread of Como). 

   I have seen those ballet slippers and when they are just lying about, they resemble this bread, sort of deflated and flat and misshapen.  I was so excited when my bread came out looking like the neglected slippers! 

   The look of the outside of my bread was very pleasing to me.  The inside, not so much...ciabatta has large holes in it inside.  As you can see, mine has small holes in it, so the next time I try this recipe, I am going to add more water and work the dough less in the kneading stage. 

   The flavor, was wonderful...the first loaf was completely consumed in one sitting by the guys with little dipping bowls of extra virgin olive oil mixed with seasonings and herbs.  They loved it.  I thought it was very good and hope that next time I can achieve the larger holes. 

  

Nancy, Cathy, Audrey, Jessica, Melissa, Sarah, Di, Leslie, and I are baking and posting every other week to better fit into our schedules.  If you would like to see their Ciabatta, click on their names and visit their sites in the next few days, or you can visit the main group and marvel how they are all already onto English Muffins.  We'll get there...Slow and Steady. 

  Our next challenge:  Cinnamon Buns and Sticky Buns, found on pages 143-146.  Cinnamon Buns and Sticky Buns will be posted here in two weeks.

BBA Challenge: Challah

  The sixth Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) was Challah, and is found on pages 133-134.  

  This was wonderful tasting bread: great for eating out of hand, grilled cheese and other sandwiches, French Toast, and dinner rolls. 

  I made it twice trying to get my braid to look like something...anything at all resembling a braid.  Proved it doesn't have to look good to taste good.  

  The actual recipe was easy, although there are steps necessitating that one minds the bread and is attentive over about a four hour stretch, so plan accordingly.   It is not intensive minding, just a little to do here and there, a few rest periods, and if you are planning on being home anyway, say doing laundry, it all goes by quickly.  The taste is delicious, so it is worth making now and again. 

  I think we especially enjoyed it as dinner rolls. 

  My first attempt at making the braided version resulted in what I have affectionately named "Wild Thing," as the braid broke in several places while it was rising (have no idea how that happens), the ends did not stay tucked under, etc., so it was all waving about in the air a bit like a wild thing.  Never you mind, however, as it tasted delicious.  I grew rather fond of the look of Wild Thing, but I knew all my BBA S&S pals would be producing these wonder loaves of stellar beauty, so I had to go back in and give it another try.  You can catch a glimpse of the Wild Thing here at the right. 

  The second try, in the photograph at the top of the post, I fashioned half of the dough into a braid, okay, something braid-esque at least (if you cut in half horizontally, it looks like two lobster tails actually, still need to work on the braiding thing), and a pan of little dinner rolls.   Those rolls disappeared faster than you can imagine...some right out of the oven, and the rest at dinner. 

  Will I try the braid again?  I think I am willing to admit that braiding dough is not my strong suit.  Making bread that my family loves, however, is in the cards.  They are always very enthusiastic and appreciative of my efforts.  Which is exactly why I do it.  Try this one, you'll be happy you did...and if you don't like to braid, make rolls! 

Nancy, Cathy, Audrey, Jessica, Melissa, Sarah, Di, Leslie, and I are baking and posting every other week to better fit into our schedules.  If you would like to see their Challah, click on their names and visit their sites in the next few days, or you can visit the main group and marvel how they are all already onto Cranberry Walnut Bread.  We'll get there...Slow and Steady. 

  Our next challenge:  Ciabatta, found on pages 135-142 .  Ciabatta will be posted here in two weeks. 

BBA Challenge: Casatiello

      The fifth Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) was Casatiello, and is found on pages 129-132. 

      This was our favorite bread so far as it has so much flavor with the sausage and cheese additions.  It is an Italian bread that the author describes as an "elaboration of brioche."

      The recipe was quite easy, went together quickly, and was absolutely wonderful still warm about three quarters of an hour out of the oven, as well as for a few days thereafter.  We would have been slicing into it straight out of the oven as the aroma was so delightful, but it said to wait at least an hour before cutting into it.  We waited three-quarters of an hour and then just started slicing away.  It was great without an addition of anything on it. 

      Mark enjoyed taking it as sandwich bread for lunch, so my next venture with this recipe is to make sandwich buns from it. 

      This is a recipe I will make time and again. 

      While the main group of 200 bakers are baking weekly, the Slow & Steady group consisting of

Nancy, Cathy, Audrey, Jessica, Melissa, Sarah, Di,  and I are baking and posting every other week to better fit into our schedules.  If you would like to see their Casatiello, click on their names and visit their sites in the next few days, or you can visit the main group and marvel how they are all already onto Cornbread.  We'll get there...Slow and Steady. 

      Our next challenge:  Challah, found on pages 133-134 .  This will be posted here in two weeks. 

BBA Challenge: Brioche

      The fourth Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) was Brioche, and is found on pages 123-128. 

      There were three brioche recipes included in the book:  Poor Man's, Middle-Class, and Rich Man's, each classified according to the amount of butter included in the recipe.  Rich Man's, of course, had the most butter, and is considered a fabulously wonderful bread. 

      I decided to make all three recipes, only half a recipe which was one loaf.  I made them all loaf size so that it would be easier to compare them when I finished, as that was the purpose of making all three.  How would I ever know which was best if I didn't try them all and compare? 

      The Rich Man's brioche had a lot of butter in it, was the hardest to bake (it collapsed a bit and not being a very experienced bread baker yet, I wasn't sure how to fix it, so what you see is what I got), and we actually did not care for this loaf as much as the others.  It was very rich, very buttery, and did not make good toast because it did not crisp up due to the large amount of butter in the recipe.  Alex preferred this loaf as he loves the taste of butter.  Whole loaf pictured above, and inside pictured at left. 

      The Middle-Class was less rich, toasted a little better, and was the favorite of Mark and Matt for its rich taste and melt-in-your-mouth goodness.  The whole loaf is pictured at right and the inside pictured below. 

     My favorite was the Poor Man's because it tasted rich, yet not overwhelmingly so, and it toasted nicely.  This loaf I would make again as it tasted more like a treat for a special occasion, not as an every day type bread, however. For some reason, it also baked the nicest, the photo is right, with the inside photo to the left.  

      All the recipes were fairly easy to make, and I only had trouble in the baking of the Rich Man's, the others baked up fine.  Again, this is probably more my fault than that of the recipe. 

      Would I make this again?  Probably not unless I was going to use it as a base for sweet rolls or something of that nature.  It wasn't bad, it just wasn't worth all those calories with all that butter in a slice of bread!  I thought about doing the Rich Man's again to see if I could get the loaf to turn out and then thought there really wasn't much of a reason to do that as most of us did not care for the richness of it. 

       Matt was all about the comparing of the breads, as you can see from the photo, he took two slices of each kind so he could give it "ample sampling," which really means Matt loves bread, doesn't eat anything on it, and is just delighted to be sampling anything bread-wise that comes out of this kitchen.   

      While the main group of 200 bakers are baking weekly, the Slow & Steady group consisting of Nancy, Cathy, Audrey, Jessica, Melissa, and I are baking and posting every other week to better fit into our schedules.  If you would like to see their Brioche, click on their names and visit their sites, or you can visit the main group and marvel how they are all already past Challah and on Ciabatta.  We'll get there...Slow and Steady. 

      Our next challenge:  Casatiello, which is an Italian Sausage and Cheese bread.  This will be posted here in two weeks.  As a little preview:  I have already made the Casatiello and it is my favorite so far...a big hit around here! 

 

BBA Challenge: Bagels

      The third Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) was Bagels, and is found on pages 119-122. 

      I made bagels, can you even believe it?  And, they turned out pretty tasty, can you even believe that?  And, Matt says he likes them even more than the ones at the store, can you even believe that?  Me either, but he keeps asking me to make more of them. 

      Actually, they are fairly easy to make, very fun to boil and bake, and while I don't normally really like bagels, I had one and it was good.  All it takes is flour, yeast, water, salt, and a little malt powder or syrup.  The dough is easy, the forming is easy, the resting is easy:  it's all easy.  I thought there would be some big mystery, but there isn't really. 

      I thought they should be a little less flat looking but Matt said that I was confusing bagels and doughnuts, that bagels are supposed to be flatter and they fit better in the toaster that way.  He has eaten a lot of bagels in his life, so I am trusting him on this.  Still...just a little more puffy roundness would be nice, don't you think? 

      I made some plain, some with sesame seeds, some with sea salt, some with poppy seeds, and some with a mix of seeds and salt.  They were all eaten and enjoyed, so guess I am now in the bagel making business around here. I may branch out and do a few with fruit and nuts next time.  

      While the main group of 200 bakers are baking weekly, the Slow & Steady group consisting of Nancy, Cathy, Audrey, Jessica, Melissa, and I are baking and posting every other week to better fit into our schedules.  If you would like to see their Bagels, click on their names and visit their sites, or you can visit the main groupand marvel how they are all already on Challah.  We'll get there...Slow and Steady.  Our next challenge:  Brioche.  These will be posted in two weeks. 

 

BBA Challenge: Artos: Greek Celebration Breads

      The second Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) was Artos:  Greek Celebration Bread, found on pages 111-114. 

      There are three varieties of the Artos in the book, and we were encouraged to bake whichever one we wanted.  Compulsive that I am, I made all three. 

      Each one was slightly different. 

      The overall spicing for the base recipe is the same for all three varieties, so the Artos boule was the basic recipe with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, lemon/orange zest, and almond flavorings. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      This was great for eating out of hand, toasting, and for turkey sandwiches.

 

 

 

 

      The Christopsomos (Christmas bread) was the basic boule plus add-ins of raisins, dried cranberries, dried cherries, dried figs, and toasted walnuts. 

 

 

 

 

 

      The bread was shaped as a boule, reserving a third of the dough to make a cross shape with curls at the base to fit over the boule, which I thought resembled an octopus hugging itself.  The curls were supposed to hang tighter to the bread, so that needs some work yet. 

      The Lambropsomo, the Easter bread version, was a braid with dyed red eggs intertwined and the add-ins for that were golden raisins, dried apricots, and almonds.  I can't braid...let's face it, I have boys here, and I never learned how to braid, so this is the best I can do on the braiding deal, needs more work obviously.

       Nancy had some trouble with the red dye bleeding into her bread, so acting on her suggestion, I baked the bread with white boiled eggs, and replaced them with the bright red dyed ones after the baking process.  Worked great, no red dye on the finished product.

       The Christopsomos and the Lambropsomo have a sweet honey glaze on them, so they were good just eaten out of hand, and also both of those made great French Toast. 

       I was happy to have had the experience of shaping the dough, and while it was my first attempt and could use additional experience and work, I was happy with the results and the guys enjoyed the taste of the bread.  This would not be an every week type of bread, but something, as it says, for a celebration and festive occasion.  The loaves are quite large so would be good to have additional people around to help eat the bread. 

      While the main group of 200 bakers are baking weekly, the Slow & Steady group consisting of Nancy, Cathy, Audrey, Jessica, Melissa, and I are baking and posting every other week to better fit into our schedules.  If you would like to see their Artos breads, click on their names and visit their sites, or you can visit the main group and marvel how they are all already on brioche.  We'll get there...Slow and Steady.  Our next challenge:  Bagels.  These will be posted in two weeks. 

BBA Challenge: Anadama Bread

      Some of my favorite fellow Tuesdays with Dorie bakers found a new bake along blog just starting up with the intention of baking through The Bread Baker's Apprentice cookbook by Peter Reinhart with the idea that they would begin at page 1 and proceed page by page until the end, making every recipe in the book (I think there are 42-43).  The recipes are alphabetical, not beginning with ease and increasing in difficulty as the book progresses, so I may very well be in beyond my capabilities very shortly.  The enrollment was limited to 200 bakers, and the posting requirements were minimal...there are two groups, one baking/posting each week, and a sub-group of us who are baking/posting every other week, on Mondays.  (I figure this slower pace gives me a chance to make, and possibly remake if I don't get it exactly right.)  It didn't take me long to agree to join them, so that is how I arrived at yet another bake/cook along blog...it is rather fun to bake/cook along with others.  

      The first assignment was Anadama Bread which has molasses in it, giving it a nice caramel color and taste.  I made two loaves first and that was gone in the blink of an eye...I had one slice.  So, I made it again so that I could try it with making rolls instead of loaves and that went over just as well.  (As you can see from the photo, one must act quickly with the camera around here as Nancy had said she was eager to see my photos of the rolls, which I had forgotten to take, so I hurried into the kitchen, arriving just in time as one roll was being whisked away and before any more of them disappeared!) 

      The guys really liked the bread...toasting it, making sandwiches, and just eating it out of hand.  Mark wanted to pack it for lunch, so I fashioned him one with cheddar, turkey, cranberry chutney, thin slices of Granny Smith apple, and a swipe of stone ground mustard (thank you Catherine at White Apple for the suggestion). 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      The bread was good with soup, BLT sandwiches, toasted with jelly and/or peanut butter...they were eating it in all sorts of combinations. 

         We aren't posting the recipes, so buy the book and bake along with us!  Next assignment:  Artos (Greek Celebration Bread)