So I started my morning baking bread and ended it with a turkey dinner. What a day! I love Sundays! Football and food!
Apparently challah bread takes 12 hours to proof. I had no idea. I
started last night at 6 putting the dough together. This beyond almost
anything that I need to read the whole recipe before I start. I bloomed
the yeast before I realized how long it was going to take to rise so I
decided I'd let it rise over night and get up early to bake it.
To start you'll need:
1 packet dry active yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
1/2 C water (105 to 115 Degrees)
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons Salt
3 tablespoons oil
2 eggs lightly beaten
2 egg yolks lightly beaten.
1/2 C all purpose flour
2 1/2 C bread flour
This is a pretty simple recipe but it's the technique that makes it difficult (it takes a long time).
Add yeast and warm water to mixing bowl and leave for 5 minutes. It should look like the picture above.
add the sugar, salt, oil, eggs, egg yolks, and all purpose flour, mix until combined. Add the bread flour slowly until it is combined.
Kneed for 8 minutes or until the dough is elastic and smooth.
Move the dough to an oiled bowl and turn once to coat. Cover lightly with plastic and let the dough rise in a warm place (75 to 80 degrees) for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until the dough has doubled in size.
Punch down and kneed for a minute. return to the oiled bowl and place in the refrigerator for 4 to 12 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
Cut the dough into 3 or 4 pieces and roll into balls. Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes.
Roll into 14 inch long strands that taper at the ends.
Grease a cookie sheet and sprinkle corn meal over it.
Place all 4 strands on the greased cookie sheet with one end touching. Pinch the end together. If you are braiding 4 strands like I tried to do turn the outside ends over the middle then twist the middle strands, then repeat. It's not the prettiest loaf but it's tasty!
Take 1 egg and a pinch of salt and beat them together.
Brush the egg wash on the bread, try to get into all the nooks and crannies. This will allow for a more even browning.
<-- I swear this isn't the turkey I made for dinner.
How GOOD does that look? Even though I've eaten dinner I want to go cut off another slice of this and eat it! All it needs is a little bit of butter. The crumb is really delicate and the air pockets are really small. And the smell...Oh it was amazing! I love the smell of fresh baked bread. There's no real word to describe that smell other than happy.
AND NOW... On to dinner!
Dinner tonight was turkey (a whole frozen turkey), stuffing, and acorn squash with two different toppings.
The first squash was a little bit of vegetable oil (I used a mister) and brown sugar and cinnamon.
I baked this for about 15 minutes on one side then flipped them over and baked for another 10 minutes
The second was a little balsamic vinegar, a few tablespoons of fresh squeezed orange juice, honey, and nutmeg.I brushed this on both sides of the squash then put them on an oiled baking sheet (covered with aluminum foil for easy cleanup).
Both were baked at 350 degrees.
The turkey was a brined turkey thanks to my food muse Alton Brown.
You can find his recipe here:
Brined Turkey Recipe
It's an easy recipe that makes a very moist and juicy turkey. I am going to try other brines but there one is pretty darn good.
To start you'll need:
1 packet dry active yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
1/2 C water (105 to 115 Degrees)
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons Salt
3 tablespoons oil
2 eggs lightly beaten
2 egg yolks lightly beaten.
1/2 C all purpose flour
2 1/2 C bread flour
This is a pretty simple recipe but it's the technique that makes it difficult (it takes a long time).
Add yeast and warm water to mixing bowl and leave for 5 minutes. It should look like the picture above.
add the sugar, salt, oil, eggs, egg yolks, and all purpose flour, mix until combined. Add the bread flour slowly until it is combined.
Kneed for 8 minutes or until the dough is elastic and smooth.Move the dough to an oiled bowl and turn once to coat. Cover lightly with plastic and let the dough rise in a warm place (75 to 80 degrees) for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until the dough has doubled in size.
Punch down and kneed for a minute. return to the oiled bowl and place in the refrigerator for 4 to 12 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
Cut the dough into 3 or 4 pieces and roll into balls. Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes.Roll into 14 inch long strands that taper at the ends.
Grease a cookie sheet and sprinkle corn meal over it.
Place all 4 strands on the greased cookie sheet with one end touching. Pinch the end together. If you are braiding 4 strands like I tried to do turn the outside ends over the middle then twist the middle strands, then repeat. It's not the prettiest loaf but it's tasty!
Brush the egg wash on the bread, try to get into all the nooks and crannies. This will allow for a more even browning.
<-- I swear this isn't the turkey I made for dinner.
How GOOD does that look? Even though I've eaten dinner I want to go cut off another slice of this and eat it! All it needs is a little bit of butter. The crumb is really delicate and the air pockets are really small. And the smell...Oh it was amazing! I love the smell of fresh baked bread. There's no real word to describe that smell other than happy.AND NOW... On to dinner!
Dinner tonight was turkey (a whole frozen turkey), stuffing, and acorn squash with two different toppings.
The first squash was a little bit of vegetable oil (I used a mister) and brown sugar and cinnamon.
I baked this for about 15 minutes on one side then flipped them over and baked for another 10 minutes
The second was a little balsamic vinegar, a few tablespoons of fresh squeezed orange juice, honey, and nutmeg.I brushed this on both sides of the squash then put them on an oiled baking sheet (covered with aluminum foil for easy cleanup).Both were baked at 350 degrees.
The turkey was a brined turkey thanks to my food muse Alton Brown.
You can find his recipe here:
Brined Turkey Recipe
It's an easy recipe that makes a very moist and juicy turkey. I am going to try other brines but there one is pretty darn good.
Happy Sunday! Don't forget it doesn't need to be a holiday to enjoy a special meal!
No comments:
Post a Comment