Category: Year One | 2020

This nutricious loaf, made from oats, rye, whole wheat, white and brown rice flour is super easy to make and can be made in a single day (no overnight soak, which many methods call for when using flours like rye and whole wheat). It has a soft, dense crumb, crisp sturdy crust, and is so delicious you can just eat it on its own – no butter, etc. required!

•  60 g rye flour
•  60g brown rice flour (just grind brown rice in a blender)
•  45 g quick-cooking oats
•  338 ml lukewarm water
•  150 ml warm milk

Mix all the above and let soak for 1 hour.

•  330 g all-purpose flour
•  210 g whole wheat flour
• 2 Tablespoons vital wheat gluten
•  5 g instant yeast 
•  1 teaspoon salt
•  3 Tablespoons honey

1. Mix the dry ingredients together in the bowl of a stand mixer.
2. Add the wet mixture and the honey
3. Using the paddle, mix everything together until combined
4. Change to a dough hook and knead on low speed for about 5-7 minutes, until the dough comes away from the sides and forms a ball. Should feel like play-dough, a little tacky, but not sticky on you hands
5. Take dough and knead a few times on the counter to shape into a ball. Place in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled, could take 45 – 90 minutes, depending on the temperature of the room

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1. When the dough has doubled, remove it from bowl, flatten it out and shape into a loaf, using the “head and shoulders” method.
2. Make 3 diagonal slits on the top, and dust with oatflakes. Cover with a damp tea towel and let rise for 1 hour.

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1. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees
2. Bake about 40 – 60 minutes, until golden brown and internal temperature is 190 degrees.
3. Cool on wire rack.

This is an uncomplicated, straight-forward loaf. I was aiming for the simplest, shortest method, with the most basic ingredients (no dairy/eggs) without sacrificing taste and texture. And this is it! A soft, chewy, absolutely delicious loaf. It’s a perfect for “working from home” loaf because the short steps are worked hours apart.

Continue reading “Week 21: 100% Whole Wheat” →

ITALY: This is Sullivan Street Bakery’s signature loaf, using the famous no-knead method made popular by the owner, Jim Lahey. His technique involves an overnight fermentation, which is how you get the gluten strands to develop that would otherwise form during the kneading process. It’s a wet dough, so kind of hard to work with, and you need a heavy pot with a lid (Pyrex works), to mimic the steamy, high temperatures of a professional baker’s oven. But, other than the fermentation, it takes no time at all to make, and is very forgiving in it’s method. It’s the perfect loaf.

Continue reading “Week 20: Panne all’Olive” →

ENGLAND: An authentic shortcake should be like a cross between a biscuit and a pie crust: dense, buttery and with just a hint of sweetness. These are spectacular!

Continue reading “Week 15: Shortcakes” →