Pannetone

Pannetone
 
Author:
Makes: 2 loaves
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
Starter:
  • 94 gr white flour
  • 7 gr instant yeast
  • 67 gr water
Main dough:
  • 235 gr white flour
  • 60 gr water
  • 1 gr instant yeast
  • 70 gr white sugar
  • 10 gr vanilla sugar
  • 84 gr egg yolks
  • 2 gr honey
  • 7 gr salt
  • 74 gr soft butter
Filling:
  • 100 gr raisins
  • 1 tspn lemon zest
  • 1 tspn orange zest
  • 67 gr confit orange peel
Finish:
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbpn coarse sugar
Instructions
Starter
  1. Combine the white flour, instant yeast and lukewarm water. Allow to mature at room temperature for 30 min.
Main dough
  1. Add to the starter the remaining white flour, lukewarm water, remaining yeast, white sugar, vanilla sugar, egg yolks and honey.
  2. Knead the dough until smooth and elastic.
  3. Add the salt and butter in portions and mix well between the additions.
  4. Rehydrate the dried raisins for 10 min in ample lukewarm water and drain.
  5. Add the raisins, lemon zest, orange zest and orange confit to the dough and mis until the fruit is evenly dispersed.
  6. Transfer the dough to an oiled container, cover with a lit or a cloth and allow to proff for 60 min or until it has increased its volume by half.
  7. Transfer the dough to the fridge to harden the butter and to make it easier to handle the dough later it is possible to retard the dough overnight and to finish it the next day.
  8. Grease to baking dishes and line them with baking paper.
  9. Divide the dough in two equal portions, shape them into a ball and position them in the baking dish. Allow to prove until doubled in size. This can take up to several hours, depending on the dough temperature. Preheat the oven to 180 °C (no fan).
Finish:
  1. Garnish the top of the dough with egg wash, cut a cross across the top. Bake for 30-45 min or until it is golden brown and fully cooked. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
Stuff to know
This quantity will make 2 loaves.
Pannetone is a sweet Italian bread filled with fruit. It is traditionally served in the Christmas period. It is comparable to the French brioche but less rich in butter. The traditional recipe takes three days to make, this variant takes a lot less time.
Pannetone is normally baked in round, cylindrical baking dishes.
Start baking with the fan off or the Pannetone will colour too quickly. You can always switch the fanon at the end of the baking process.
You can vary with the filling to suite your taste.

 

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Bread with corn flour and cranberries

Bread with corn flour and cranberries
 
Author:
Makes: 1 loaf of bread
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
  • 10 gr instant yeast
  • 325 gr white flour
  • 175 gr corn flour
  • 10 gr white sugar
  • 8 gr salt
  • 25 gr butter
  • 300 gr water
  • 1 whole egg
  • 100 gr cranberries
Instructions
  1. Pour the lukewarm water in a bowl, add the yeast and butter and stir. Let the yeast wake up for several minutes.
  2. Add white flour, salt, and sugar and the egg. Knead the dough until elastic and smooth. Form the dough into a boll. Let the dough rise, covered with cling film, in a lightly oiled clean bowl, until doubled in size in a draft free spot, around 60 min.
  3. Soak the cranberries in hot water for at least 15 minutes and drain.
  4. Grease a cake tin and line the base with baking paper.
  5. Once the dough has doubled in size, knead cranberries through the dough, shape it into a loaf and place it in the tin. Make an incision along the top.
  6. Let the bread prove, in a draft free spot and covered with a cloth, until doubled again in size, around 60 min.
  7. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180˚C.
  8. Bake the bread for 30 min or until golden and done.
  9. Remove the bread from the tin and allow it to cool on a rack.
Stuff to know
This amount will yield 1 raisins breads.
Use egg, milk and butter at room temperature to accelerate the rising.
Corn flour is not the same as corn starch (‘maizena’). Corn flour is used similarly to other flours, whereas corn starch is mainly used as a thickener (béchamel sauce for instance).
You can tell if bread cooked by tapping its bottom : if it sounds hollow it's done, if it doesn't then return it to the oven for a little longer.

 

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Brioche star bread with chocolate

Brioche star bread with chocolate
 
Author:
Makes: 1 bread 25 cm acrros
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
Dough
  • 70 gr milk
  • 14 gr dried yeast
  • 50 gr sugar
  • 8 eggs
  • 670 gr white bread flour
  • 12 gr salt
  • 400 gr soft butter
Extra
  • 200 gr chocolate spread
  • 1 egg
Instructions
Dough
  1. Combine the lukewarm milk with the yeast and sugar. Mix to combine.
  2. Add the eggs and mix to combine using a hand held mixer with the dough hooks.
  3. Add the flour and salt and mix for a couple of minutes until you’ve got a smooth dough.
  4. Add the soft butter in portions while continuing to mix until the dough is smooth and elastic.
  5. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, let the dough rest and rise for 1 hour min covered with cling film.
  6. Knock the dough back and store the dough in the fridge until needed and cold enough to handle, preferably overnight.
Shaping
  1. Line a baking tray with baking paper and gently warm the chocolate spread in the microwave to make it easier to spread.
  2. Divide the dough in four. While keeping the other three dough balls in the fridge, roll out the first ball to a circle measuring 30 cm in diameter. Place on the baking paper an spread with the chocolate spread, making sure to leave about 1 cm of free border all around.
  3. Roll out the second circle, place on top of the first one and press the border with your fingers to join them together. Cover again with chocolate spread (always leaving a little border).
  4. Repeat with the third dough ball. Roll out the remaining one and use it to cover the stack but do not spread it with chocolate.
  5. Position a cup in the middle to avoid cutting too far. Divide the dough in four, cut them again half and in half again to have sixteen sections that all are the same size. It's extremely important that you don't cut the centre of the disc.
  6. Take two sections that are next to each other and turn them twice in opposite directions and pinch the edges. Repeat the operation with the remaining sections.
  7. Cover the star loosely with a clean cloth and let the dough rise, about 1.5-2 hours, in a draft free spot until doubled in size
  8. Preheat in the meantime the oven to 160˚C. Beat the egg, brush it gently onto the bread and bake in the oven for 40 min or until golden brown and fully cooked.
  9. Remove from the tray and let cool down slightly before cutting.
Stuff to know
Brioche is a classic French bread that is rich in eggs and butter. Use a hand held mixer to knead since the dough is too soft and sticky to handle. Cooling the dough in the fridge until really cold makes it easier to handle.
Use for instance a dinner plate to cut circles that all have the same diameter.
The milk is at the right temperature when it is not hot nor cold to the touch or it will kill the yeast.
The dough should not be too warm during proving to keep the butter from oozing out.
It is possible to freeze the dough after the first rise or the keep it (overnight) in the fridge.


 

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Stollen with raisins and almondfilling

Stollen with raisins and almondfilling
 
Author:
Makes: 1 loaf
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
Dough
  • 150 gr milk
  • 9 gr yeast
  • 30 gr sugar
  • 25 gr egg
  • 300 gr white bread flour
  • 5 gr salt
  • 15 gr rum
  • 60 gr soft butter
Almond filling
  • 70 gr almonds without skin
  • 70 gr white sugar
  • 1 egg white
Filling
  • 120 gr raisins
  • 120 gr sultana’s
  • 1 tspn ground cinnamon
Finish
  • 25 gr butter
  • 2 tbpsn icing sugar
Instructions
Dough
  1. Heat the milk until lukewarm. Add the yeast to a bowl and add the milk, sugar and the egg. Mix to combine and allow to stand for 5 min so the yeast can wake up.
  2. Add the white bread flower, salt, rum and soft butter. Knead until combined and continue kneading until the dough is smooth and elastic. Place in a lightly dusted bowl, cover with plastic or a tea towel and allow to rest and double in size in a draft free spot.
Filling
  1. Rehydrate the raisins and sultana’s in ample hot water for 5min and drain in a colander.
Almond filling
  1. Make the almond filling by grounding in a kitchen machine the almonds without skin with the white sugar. Add enough egg white to make the paste come together. Shape into a cylinder, wrap in cling film and keep in the fridge until needed.
  2. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and spread with the drained raisins and sultana’s. Roll the dough up to a cylinder to enclose the filling and allow to rest at room temperature for 30 min to relax.
  3. Roll out the dough again in a oval shape but not as thin as before. Keep the long sides higher than the centre, where the almond paste filling is placed. Fold the top of the dough over to enclose the almond filling.
  4. Place the dough on a tray lined with baking paper, cover with a clean tea towel and allow to double in size.
  5. Preheat the oven to 180 °C
  6. Bake the stollen for 30 min or until cooked and golden.
Finish
  1. Brush the stolen with the melted butter while still hot from the oven.
  2. Allow to cool on a wire rack and dust with icing sugar before serving.
Stuff to know
Stollen is an enriched fruit bread containing dried fruit and often covered with icing sugar. The bread is usually made with chopped candied fruit and/or dried fruit, nuts and spices and typical for Christmas and Easter.
Using lukewarm milk rather than cold one will activate the yeast.
Use butter at room temperature for the dough to make it mix in easier.
Rehydrating the sultana’s and raisins is needed to make the dough proof properly.
Add some walnuts or citrus peel or a pinch of green ground cardamom.

 

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Belgian cougnou

Belgian cougnou
 
Author:
Makes: 1 large or 8 small ones
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
Dough
  • 8 gr yeast
  • 110 gr milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 35 gr white sugar
  • 400 gr white strong flour
  • 6 gr salt
  • 68 gr butter
  • 100 gr sultana’s
  • 40 gr sugar cubes
Finish
  • 1 egg
Instructions
  1. Allow the butter to come to room temperature.
  2. Warm the milk to lukewarm, pour in the mixing bowl and add the yeast and sugar. Stir in the eggs and allow to stand for a minute to allow the yeast to wake up.
  3. Add the flour and salt and knead the dough until smooth and elastic.
  4. Using a handheld mixer, knead the soft butter through the dough until incorporated.
  5. Place the dough in a clean bowl dusted with flour, and allow to rise at room temperature for an hour or until doubled in volume.
  6. Soak the raisins in hot water for 10 min and drain in a colander.
  7. Crumble the sugar crumbs.
  8. Dust your work surface with some flour and roll the dough out to a rectangle. Put the sugar crumbs and raisins on top and roll the dough up to incorporate the filling and to obtain a cylindrical shape.
  9. Place it seam side down on a tray lined with baking paper, cover with a clean and dry tea towel and allow to proof until doubled in volume, which takes about 60 to 90 minutes.
  10. Preheat the oven to 170 °C.
  11. With floured fingers, pinch the ends of the dough to obtain two smaller bowls et either ends (like a toffee).
  12. Brush the bread with the beaten egg.
  13. Bake the bread for 30 min or until it is done and golden.
  14. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack before slicing.
Stuff to know
The cougnou is a Belgian speciality bread that is typical for the Christmas period. It is comparable to the French brioche but it contains less egg and butter.
Ideally, one would use pearl sugar (also called nib sugar) for this bread but is can be hard to find. Crumbles sugar cubes are an alternative.
Do not warm the milk too much (< 45°C) or it will kill the yeast. Luke warm means body temperature.

 

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Olive and tomato bloomer

Olive and tomato bloomer
 
Author:
Makes: 1 big loaf
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
  • 10 gr instant yeast
  • 320 gr lukewarm water
  • 5 gr sugar
  • 500 gr white flour
  • 7 gr salt
  • olives
  • dried tomatoes
Instructions
  1. Pour the lukewarm water in a bowl, add the yeast and sugar and mix well. Let the yeast wake up for 5 min.
  2. Add white flour and the salt. Knead the dough for 10 min or until elastic and smooth. Add the chopped olives and tomatoes and mix them through, adding some extra flour if needed.
  3. Let the dough rise, covered with cling film or a cloth, in a lightly floured clean bowl, in a draft free spot until doubled in size, about 60 min.
  4. Turn the dough out on the lightly floured work surface and shape in to rectangle. Shape it into a cylinder just a little shorter than the proofing basket. Flour the proofing basket well and put the dough in, seam side up.
  5. Let the dough rise, covered with cling film or a cloth, in a draft free spot until doubled in size, about 60 min.
  6. Preheat the oven with the baking stone for at least 30 min at 180˚C and place a tray at the bottom.
  7. When the dough has just about doubled in size, carefully remove the (very hot!) stone from the oven, turn the bread upside down on the hot baking stone and cut as desired. Place the stone and bread back in the oven.
  8. Pour a cup of water in the hot tray to generate steam and immediately close the oven door. Bake for 15 min and remove the tray with any water. Finish baking the bread for 40 min or until golden and done.
  9. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.
Stuff to know
The water is at the right temperature when it is not hot nor cold to the touch.
The amount of olives and tomatoes is up to the baker.
To test to see if the bread is done, tap the bottom. A hollow sound should occur.
Preferably, use special bread flours when making bread.
Baking on a hot stone and creating steam will improve the crust.
Flour the bread proofing basket really well to be able to remove the bread.

 

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Walnut bread

Walnut bread
 
Author:
Makes: 1 loaf
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
  • 7 gr instant yeast
  • 237 gr lukewarm water
  • 3 gr sugar
  • 8 gr oil
  • 113 gr wholemeal flour
  • 262 gr white flour
  • 7 gr salt
  • 50 gr walnuts
Instructions
  1. Pour the lukewarm water in a bowl, add the yeast, oil and sugar and mix well. Let the yeast wake up for 5 min.
  2. Add wholegrain flour, white flour and the salt. Knead the dough for 10 min or until elastic and smooth. Add the chopped walnuts and mix them through.
  3. Let the dough rise, covered with cling film or a cloth, in a lightly floured clean bowl, in a draft free spot until doubled in size, about 60 min.
  4. Turn the dough out on the lightly floured work surface and shape in to rectangle. Shape it into a cylinder just a little shorter than the proofing basket. Flour the proofing basket well and put the dough in, seam side up.
  5. Let the dough rise, covered with cling film or a cloth, in a draft free spot until doubled in size, about 60 min.
  6. Preheat the oven with the baking stone for at least 30 min at 180˚C and place a tray at the bottom.
  7. When the dough has just about doubled in size, carefully remove the (very hot!) stone from the oven, turn the bread upside down on the hot baking stone and cut as desired. Place the stone and bread back in the oven.
  8. Pour a cup of water in the hot tray to generate steam and immediately close the oven door. Bake for 15 min and remove the tray with any water. Finish baking the bread for 20 min or until golden and done.
  9. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.
Stuff to know
The water is at the right temperature when it is not hot nor cold to the touch.
To test to see if the bread is done, tap the bottom. A hollow sound should occur.
Preferably, use special bread flours when making bread.
Baking on a hot stone and creating steam will improve the crust.
Flour the bread proofing basket really well to be able to remove the bread.

 

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Bread with apricots and almonds

Bread with apricots and almonds
 
Author:
Makes: 1 loaf
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
  • 60 gr dried apricots
  • 60 ml amaretto liqueur
  • 7 gr yeast
  • 225 gr beer
  • 100 gr wholemeal flower
  • 225 gr white flour
  • 50 gr rye flour
  • 7 gr salt
Instructions
  1. Soak the dried apricots in the amaretto liqueur.
  2. Pour the lukewarm water in a bowl, add the yeast and mix well. Allow to rest for 5 minutes then add the flours, and the salt. Knead the dough until elastic and smooth.
  3. Let the dough rise, covered with cling film, in a lightly floured clean bowl, until doubled in size in a draft free spot, about 90 min.
  4. Grease a cake tin and line the base with baking paper.
  5. Add the dried apricots and the amaretto liqueur to the dough and knead until incorporated. Knead the dough briefly, shape it into a loaf and place it in the tin.
  6. Let the dough prove, in a draft free spot and covered with cling film, until doubled in size, about 90 min.
  7. Preheat the oven to 180˚C.
  8. Bake the bread for 20 min or until golden and done. Remove from the tin and cool on a wire rack.
Stuff to know
The water is at the right temperature when it is not hot nor cold to the touch.
To test to see if the bread is done, tap the bottom. A hollow sound should occur.
Preferably, use special bread flours when making bread.
It is possible to replace the rye flour by white flour.

 

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Brother

Brother
 
Author:
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
  • 150 gr sultanas
  • 150 gr raisins
  • 320 gr milk
  • 12 gr dried yeast
  • 500 gr white flour
  • 3 eggs
  • ½ tspn vanilla flavour
  • 8 gr salt
Instructions
  1. Grease the spring form tin and line the base and rim with baking paper.
  2. Soak the sultanas and raisins in hot water for 15 minutes. Drain the sultanas and raisins and set aside for later
  3. Warm the milk until lukewarm. Pour the milk in a bowl, add the yeast and vanilla flavour and mix well. Let the yeast wake up for 5 min.
  4. Add white flour and the salt and the beaten eggs. Stir until a smooth batter forms.
  5. Let the dough rise, covered with cling film, in a lightly oiled clean bowl, until doubled in size in a draft free spot, around 90 min.
  6. Add the sultanas and raisins to the batter. Pour the batter in the prepared spring form and allow to proof for an hour.
  7. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
  8. Bake the brother for 40 min or until cooked and golden.
  9. Serve while still warm with black treacle or butter.
Stuff to know
This quantity will make 1 brother with a 23 cm Ø.
The milk is at the right temperature when it is not hot nor cold to the touch.
The bread is done when a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
A brother is a traditional Dutch classic.

 

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Dried fruit quick bread

Dried fruit quick bread
 
Author:
Makes: 1 loaf
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
  • 260 gr dried fruit
  • 400 gr self-rising flour
  • 80 gr white sugar
  • 1 tbpsn cinnamon
  • 6 gr salt
  • 1 egg
  • 320 ml milk
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 150 ° C
  2. Grease a cake tin and line the bottom with baking paper.
  3. If needed, dice the dried fruit. Soak in ample hot water for 10 min and drain.
  4. Mix in a bowl the self-rising flour with the salt and sugar and cinnamon.
  5. Add the egg and the milk and whisk to incorporate until smooth.
  6. Mix the dried fruit into the batter.
  7. Transfer the batter to the greased tin. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 min or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
  8. Remove the bread from the tin and allow to cool on a wire rack before slicing.
Stuff to know
Since this bread is made with self-rising flour, it doesn’t need to prove but it can be baked straight after making.
Use (a combination) of dried fruits of your choice: currants, raisins, apricots, cranberries, etc
Add some chopped walnuts to the bread.
Bake it in a tray instead of a cake tin.

 

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Christmas stollen bread

Christmas stollen bread
 
Author:
Makes: 1 loaf
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
Dough
  • 125 gr milk
  • 8 gr dried yeast
  • 25 gr sugar
  • 250 gr white bread flour
  • 1 tspn cinnamon
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 4 gr salt
  • 50 gr soft butter
Almond frangipane
  • 150 gr ground almonds
  • 150 gr white sugar
  • 1 egg
Filling
  • 100 gr raisins
  • 100 gr currants
  • 25 ml rum
  • 50 gr whole almonds
Finish
  • 3 tbspn icing sugar
Instructions
Dough
  1. Warm the milk until lukewarm. Pour the milk in a bowl, add the yeast and sugar and mix well. Let the yeast wake up for 5 min.
  2. Add white bread, cinnamon, the salt, and butter and the egg yolk. Knead the dough until elastic and smooth.
  3. Let the dough rise, covered with cling film, in a lightly floured clean bowl, until doubled in size in a draft free spot, around 90 min.
  4. Almond frangipane
  5. For the almond frangipane, mix the ground almonds, white sugar and the egg until combined smooth.
  6. Shape in to a long cylinder, about an inch in diameter, and wrap in cling film and refrigerate until needed.
Filling
  1. Soak the raisins and currants in hot water for at least 15 minutes.
  2. Grease a cake tin and line the base with baking paper.
  3. Drain the raisins and dust them with some extra flour. Add them to the risen dough together with the whole almonds and rum.
  4. Knead them through the dough. Shape the dough into a rectangle.
  5. Take the almond frangipane out of the cling film and place in on the dough. Roll the dough up and place it seam side down in the tin. Make an incision along the top of the bread.
  6. Let the bread prove, in a draft free spot until doubled in size, around 90 min.
  7. Preheat the oven to 180˚C.
  8. Bake the bread for 30 min or until golden and done.
  9. Take the bread out of the tin and allow it to cool on a wire rack before dusting it with icing sugar.
Stuff to know
Tap the botoom of the bread. It’s done when it sounds hollow.
It is important to soak the dried fruit and drain them well. If added dry, they will absorb moisture from the dough, which will inhibit it from rising properly.
If the dough is too wet after adding the soaked fruit, add in some extra flour.
Add to the dough chopped walnuts, or mixed fruit peel.

 

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Ciabatta bread

Ciabatta bread
 
Author:
Makes: 2 loafs
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
Starter
  • 3 gr dried yeast
  • 171 ml water
  • 286 gr white bread flour
Dough
  • 5 gr dried yeast
  • 300 ml water
  • 333gr white bread flour
  • 8 gr salt
  • 6 gr olive oil
Instructions
Starter
  1. Mix for the starter the dried yeast, water and white bread flour.
  2. Cover with cling film and set aside to mature for 12 hours at room temperature.
Dough
  1. Make the dough the next day. Mix in to the starter, the dried yeast, water, white bread flour, salt and olive oil.
  2. Using a hand held mixer, knead the dough until smooth and elastic, about 5 min. Pour the olive oil in a clean bowl and scoop the dough in this bowl. Cover with cling film and allow to rise at room temperature in a draft free sport until doubled in size, about an hour.
  3. Dust the work surface with ample flour. Pour the risen and soft bread dough gently on the work surface without knocking too much air out. Divide the dough in two portions.
  4. Lay a baking tray with baking paper. Using wet hands, transfer the dough to the baking tray. Shape in the size of a ciabatta, about 30 by 10 cm
  5. Allow the ciabatta to proof in a lukewarm spot until they have distinctly grown in volume, about 30 min.
  6. Bake the ciabatta in a preheated oven at 200 ˚C for 25 min or until cooked and golden.
  7. Remove the ciabatta from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack before serving.
Stuff to know
Make a savoury version by adding to the dough chopped sundried tomatoes or herbs like thyme, oregano, basil.
This bread dough is considerably wetter than regular bread dough. Therefore, use a hand held blender to knead the dough and not your hands.
Tap the bottom. The bread will sound hollow when it´s done.
Ciabatta means flip flop in Italian, referring to its typical shape.

 

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Sugarbread

Sugarbread
 
Author:
Makes: 1 loaf
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
  • 120 gr milk
  • 8 gr dry yeast
  • 400 gr white strong flour
  • 6 gr salt
  • 20 gr soft butter
  • 2 gr cinnamon
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 36 gr ginger syrup
  • 200 gr pearl sugar
Instructions
  1. Heat the milk to lukewarm. Mix with the yeast in a bowl and let it rest for 5 min to allow the yeast to wake up.
  2. Add the flour, salt, soft butter, cinnamon, egg, egg yolk and ginger syrup. Knead the dough until elastic and smooth. Let the dough rise, covered with cling film, in a lightly floured clean bowl, in a draft free spot until doubled in size, about 90 min.
  3. Grease a cake tin and line the base with baking paper.
  4. Knead the pearl sugar into the dough.
  5. Shape the dough into a rectangle, roll it up and place it seem side down in the tin.
  6. Let the bread prove, in a draft free spot and lightly covered with cling film until doubled again in size, about an hour.
  7. Preheat the oven to 170˚C.
  8. Brush the bread with some milk and sprinkle some white sugar on top. Bake the bread for 30 min or until golden and done. Remove the bread from the tin and let it cool on a wire rack before slicing.
Stuff to know
The milk is at the right temperature when it is not hot nor cold to the touch.
To test to see if the bread is done, tap the bottom. A hollow sound should occur.
Pearl sugar is also known as nib sugar. If not available, crumble regular sugar cubes into coarse crumbs.
Preferably, use special bread flours when making bread.

 

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Raisin Bread

Raisin Bread
 
Author:
Makes: 1 loaf
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
  • 375 gr white flour
  • 125 gr whole meal flour
  • 15 gr yeast
  • 25 gr sugar
  • 8 gr salt
  • 25 gr butter
  • 285 ml milk
  • 1 egg
  • 300 gr raisins/sultana’s
Instructions
  1. Soak the raisins in hot water for at least 15 minutes.
  2. Warm the milk until lukewarm. Pour the milk in a bowl, add the yeast and sugar and mix well. Let the yeast wake up for 5 min.
  3. Add whole meal flour, white flour, the salt, and butter and the egg. Knead the dough until elastic and smooth.
  4. Let the dough rise, covered with cling film, in a lightly oiled clean bowl, until doubled in size in a draft free spot, around 90 min.
  5. Grease a cake tin and line the base with baking paper.
  6. Drain the raisins and dust them with some extra flour. Knead them through the dough, shape it into a loaf and place it in the tin. Make an incision along the top.
  7. Let the bread prove, in a draft free spot and covered with cling film, until doubled in size, around 90 min.
  8. Preheat the oven to 180˚C.
  9. Bake the bread for 30 min or until golden and done.
  10. Let the bread cool on a wire rack before slicing.
Stuff to know
Warm the milk and butter to body temperature to accelerate the rising.
The bread is done when a hollow sound occurs when the tap the bottom
Add some muesli.
Add some chopped walnuts.
Add a teaspoon of ground cinnamon and/or ground cardamom.

 

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Pumpernickel bread

Pumpernickel bread
 
Author:
Makes: 1 loaf
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
  • 235 gr water
  • 7 gr yeast
  • 7 gr sugar
  • 15 gr butter
  • 10 gr cacao powder
  • 3 gr instant coffee
  • 175 gr whole-wheat flour
  • 175 gr white flour
  • 80 gr rye flour
  • 35 gr golden syrup
  • 5 gr salt
Instructions
  1. Pour the lukewarm water in a bowl, add the yeast and sugar and mix well. Let the yeast wake up for 5 min. Add the butter, instant coffee and cacao powder and dissolve.
  2. Add whole-wheat flour, white flour, rye flour, the salt, butter and golden syrup. Knead the dough until elastic and smooth.
  3. Let the dough rise, covered with cling film, in a lightly oiled clean bowl, until doubled in size in a draft free spot, around 90 min.
  4. Grease a cake tin and line the base with baking paper.
  5. Knead the dough briefly, shape it and place it in the tin.
  6. Brush the top with some water and make in incision along the top.
  7. Let the bread prove, in a draft free spot and covered with cling film, until doubled in size, around 90 min.
  8. Preheat the oven to 180˚C.
  9. Bake the bread for 30 min or until golden and done.
  10. Let the bread cool on a wire rack before slicing.
Stuff to know
The water is at the right temperature when it is not hot nor cold to the touch.
To test to see if the bread is done, tap the bottom. A hollow sound should occur.
Preferably, use special bread flours when making bread.
Coat the top with oats or seeds.

 

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Muesli and raisin bread

Muesli and raisin bread
 
Author:
Makes: 1 loaf
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
  • 175 gr sultana’s
  • 75 gr dried apricots
  • 280 ml milk
  • 15 gr yeast
  • 30 gr sugar
  • 250 gr white flour
  • 250 gr wholemeal flour
  • 8 gr salt
  • 25 gr butter
  • 1 egg
  • 100 gr hazelnuts
  • 50 gr muesli
  • 75 gr almonds
  • 25 gr oats
Instructions
  1. Soak the sultana’s and apricots in hot water for at least 15 minutes.
  2. Warm the milk until lukewarm. Pour the milk in a bowl, add the yeast, butter and sugar and mix well. Let the yeast wake up for 5 min.
  3. Add wholemeal flour, white flour, the salt, and the egg. Knead the dough until elastic and smooth.
  4. Let the dough rise, covered with cling film, in a lightly floured clean bowl, until doubled in size in a draft free spot, about 90 min.
  5. Grease a cake tin and line the base with baking paper.
  6. Drain the sultana’s and apricots and add them with the muesli, hazelnuts and almonds to the dough.
  7. Knead the fruit and nuts through the dough, shape it and place it in the tin. Make an incision along the top.
  8. Brush the top with some water and cover with the oats.
  9. Let the bread prove, in a draft free spot and covered with cling film, until doubled in size, about 90 min.
  10. Preheat the oven to 180˚C.
  11. Bake the bread for 30 min or until golden and done.
  12. Let the bread cool on a wire rack before slicing.
Stuff to know
The milk is at the right temperature when it is not hot nor cold to the touch.
To test to see if the bread is done, tap the bottom. A hollow sound should occur.
Preferably, use special bread flours when making bread.
Make individual buns.
Coat the top with oats or seeds.

 

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Brioche bread

Brioche bread
 
Author:
Makes: 1 loaf
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
Dough
  • 35 gr milk
  • 7 gr dried yeast
  • 25 gr sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 335 gr white bread flour
  • 6 gr salt
  • 200 gr soft butter
Egg wash:
  • 1 egg
Instructions
  1. Combine the lukewarm milk with the yeast and sugar. Mix to combine.
  2. Add the eggs and mix to combine using a hand held mixer with the dough hooks.
  3. Add the flour and salt and mix for a couple of minutes until you’ve got a smooth dough.
  4. Add the soft butter in portions while continuing to mix until the dough is smooth and elastic.
  5. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, let the dough rest and rise for 1 hour min covered with cling film.
  6. Knock the dough back and store the dough in the fridge until needed and cold enough to handle, preferably overnight.
  7. Grease a cake tin with butter and line the base with baking paper.
  8. Dust the work surface with some flour and shape the cool dough in to a log. Divide in four and shape them into bolls. Place them in a greased tin and cut a cross in the top with a wet pair of scissors.
  9. Cover the tin loosely with cling film and let the dough rise, about 2 hours, in a draft free spot until doubled in size
  10. Preheat the oven to 180˚C. Beat the egg, brush it gently onto the bread and bake in the oven for 30 min or until golden brown and fully cooked. Remove from the tin and let cool down slightly before cutting.
Stuff to know
Brioche is a classic French bread.
This quantity will fill 1 cake tin or yield 10 slices.
Cooling the dough in the fridge makes it easier to handle.
It is possible to freeze the dough after step 7 or the keep it (overnight) in the fridge.
Use a hand held mixer since the dough is too soft and sticky to handle.
The dough should not be too warm during proving to keep the butter from oozing out.
The milk is at the right temperature when it is not hot nor cold to the touch.
You could make individual buns rather than a loaf.

 

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Bread from spelt flour

Bread from spelt flour
 
Author:
Makes: 1 loaf
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
  • 10 gr dried yeast
  • 320 gr water
  • 7 gr salt
  • 500 gr spelt flour
  • 25 gr honey
  • 10 gr butter
Instructions
  1. Warm the water until lukewarm. Pour the water in a bowl, add the yeast and mix well. Let the yeast wake up for 5 min.
  2. Add spelt flour, the salt, honey and butter. Knead the dough until elastic and smooth.
  3. Let the dough rise, covered with cling film, in a lightly oiled clean bowl, until doubled in size in a draft free spot, about 90 min.
  4. Grease a cake tin and line the base with baking paper.
  5. Knead the dough briefly, shape it and place it in the tin. Make an incision along the top.
  6. Let the bread prove, in a draft free spot and covered with cling film, until doubled in size, about 90 min.
  7. Preheat the oven to 180˚C.
  8. Bake the bread for 30 min or until golden and done.
  9. remove the bread from the tin and let it cool on a wire rack before slicing.
Stuff to know
The water is at the right temperature when it is not hot nor cold to the touch.
To test to see if the bread is done, tap the bottom. A hollow sound should occur.
Preferably, use special bread flours when making bread.
Make individual buns.
Add walnuts.
Brush the top of the bread with water and coat with sesame seeds or oats before proofing.

 

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Bread with cornmeal and cranberry

Bread with cornmeal and cranberry
 
Author:
Makes: 1 loaf
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
  • 330 gr white flour
  • 170 gr corn meal
  • 9 gr salt
  • 10 gr dried yeast
  • 40 gr water
  • 280 gr milk
  • 30 gr cranberries
  • 3 tbspn pumpkin seeds
Instructions
  1. Warm the milk and water until lukewarm
  2. Pour the milk and water in a bowl, add the yeast and mix well. Let the yeast wake up for 5 min.
  3. Add white flour and corn meal, the salt and the cranberries. Knead the dough until elastic and smooth.
  4. Let the dough rise, covered with cling film, in a lightly oiled clean bowl, until doubled in size in a draft free spot, about 90 min.
  5. Grease a cake tin and line the base with baking paper.
  6. Knead the dough briefly, shape it and place it in the tin. Make an incision along the top.
  7. Brush the top with some water and coat the top with the pumpkin seeds.
  8. Let the bread prove, in a draft free spot and covered with cling film, until doubled in size, about 90 min.
  9. Preheat the oven to 180˚C.
  10. Bake the bread for 30 min or until golden and done.
  11. Let the bread cool on a wire rack before slicing.
Stuff to know
The milk is at the right temperature when it is not hot nor cold to the touch.
To test to see if the bread is done, tap the bottom. A hollow sound should occur.
Preferably, use special bread flours when making bread.
Make individual buns.
Cornmeal is not the same as cornflour.

 

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Bread with beer

Bread with beer
 
Author:
Makes: 1 loaf
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
  • 9 gr dried yeast
  • 300 gr beer
  • 20 gr butter
  • 13 gr honey
  • 150 gr wholemeal flower
  • 300 gr white flour
  • 7 gr salt
Instructions
  1. Place the bottle with the beer in a jug with warm water to warm up.
  2. Pour the beer in a bowl, add the yeast, butter and honey and mix well. Add both flours, butter and the salt. Knead the dough until elastic and smooth.
  3. Let the dough rise, covered with cling film, in a lightly floured clean bowl, until doubled in size in a draft free spot, about 90 min.
  4. Grease a cake tin and line the base with baking paper.
  5. Knead the dough briefly, shape it into a loaf and place it in the tin.
  6. Let the dough prove, in a draft free spot and covered with cling film, until doubled in size, about 90 min.
  7. Preheat the oven to 180˚C.
  8. Bake the bread for 30 min or until golden and done.
  9. Let the bread cool on a wire rack before slicing.
Stuff to know
The beer is at the right temperature when it is not hot nor cold to the touch.
If the dough is too dry, use a bit of lukewarm water.
To test to see if the bread is done, tap the bottom. A hollow sound should occur.
Preferably, use special bread flours when making bread.
Make individual buns.
Add cheese or crispy bacon bits for a more savoury version.

 

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Brown bread

Brown bread
 
Author:
Makes: 2 loaves
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
  • 21 gr yeast
  • 620 gr milk
  • 15 gr sugar
  • 50 gr butter
  • 18 gr salt
  • 750 gr wholegrain flour
  • 250 gr white flour
  • 1 tbspn oatmeal
Instructions
  1. Warm the milk until lukewarm. Pour the milk in a bowl, add the yeast, butter and sugar and mix well. Let the yeast wake up for 5 min.
  2. Add wholegrain flour, white flour and the salt. Knead the dough until elastic and smooth, about 6 min.
  3. Let the dough rise, covered with cling film, in a lightly floured clean bowl, in a draft free spot until doubled in size, about 90 min.
  4. Grease a cake tin and line the base with baking paper.
  5. Knead the dough briefly, shape it in to a loaf and place it in the tin. Make an incision along the top.
  6. Brush the top with some water and sprinkle the oatmeal on top.
  7. Let the bread prove, in a draft free spot and covered with cling film, until doubled again in size.
  8. Preheat the oven to 180˚C.
  9. Bake the bread for 30 min or until golden and done.
  10. Let the bread cool on a wire rack before slicing.
Stuff to know
The milk is at the right temperature when it is not hot nor cold to the touch.
To test to see if the bread is done, tap the bottom. A hollow sound should occur.
Preferably, use special bread flours when making bread.
Make individual buns.
Coat the top with seeds.
Use white flour for white bread and granary flour for granary bread.

 

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Challah bread

Challah bread
 
Author:
Makes: 1 loaf
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
  • 500 gr white flour
  • 50 gr white sugar
  • 40 gr oil
  • 8 gr salt
  • 10 gr instant yeast
  • 150 gr lukewarm water
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 egg for the egg wash
Egg wash
  • 1 egg
Instructions
  1. Put the yeast and sugar in a bowl. Add the lukewarm water, whole eggs, and oil to it and let the yeast wake up for 5 min.
  2. Add to the bowl the white flour and salt. Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, about 10 min.
  3. Place the dough in a clean, floured bowl, cover it with cling film or a damp tea towel and let it rise until doubled in size, about 45 min.
  4. Dust the work bench with flour and divide the dough into 6 equal pieces. Roll each into a string, about 30 cm long.
  5. Place the string parallel to each other and join them at the top. Take the string at the far right and guide it over its left two neighbours, underneath the next one and then again over the last two strings at the left. Repeat this with the string that has become the one at the right until the challah has been braided.
  6. Push the challah gently to uniform its size if need be and place on baking paper on a baking tray.
  7. Leave the bread to proof until doubled in size, about 60 min.
  8. Brush the bread with the beaten egg and bake at 160°C for 30 min or until the bread is golden brown and done.
  9. Leave to cool on a wire rack and serve.
Stuff to know
When you tap the bottom of the bread and it sounds hollow, you know the bread is done.
The water you use to dissolve the yeast should not be warmer than 50 °C for fear it kills the yeast.
Challah is a Jewish braided bread that was eaten on the sabbath or during holidays. According to tradition, two loaves were put on the table to symbolise the double portion of manna the Israelites were given on the Friday. The word challah means portion in Hebrew. The bread is covered with a white cloth that symbolises the dew that covered the manna in the morning.

 

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