Saturday, March 8, 2014

‘knead’ a weekend!



Need a weekend?

Definitely. Time is crucial ingredient not only for you, it is the most important ‘ingredient’ for making bread as well. 
First you need to get in shape. You must be relaxed and must do some exercise before we start. So, start picking apples from trees and grass from the ground, and don’t forget to stretch! 
Again, apples than grass and stretch... it takes only few minutes.


Now, get a big bowl and begin to ‘knead’ your weekend! 

Bread 
Flour
Yeast
Salt
Water 




















-500g flour (strong bread flour)

-4dl water (room temperature)

-salt, 1,5 tsp

-40g fresh yeast 


Rub the yeast in the flour than add salt and keep adding water to form sticky dough. Then transfer the dough to surface and literally beat the dough until it becomes non sticky to fingers. This is actually the hard work and it lasts for around 10-15 minutes. Be patient! This is the process where you are giving the character to your bread.

Once this is over, leave the dough to rest in the bowl, cover with clean kitchen towel and leave to rise for at least an hour. 


It's time for you to rest as well!




After 1-2 hours..

When the dough has doubled in size, place it to floured surface and spread it with fingers making square shape. You will smell the process of fermentation.. divine..
Before we divide the dough we must fold it. Take the top of the dough and fold to the center (center of the square) by pressing it gently with your fingers or with back of your hand, if it's easier for you. Do the same to the other side of the squared dough (fold to the center, do the same as for the top). Now fold the dough again, by making the shape of rolling pin.


Divide the dough to wanted sizes (I took one third and made small bread and two thirds I used for that bread from the picture; see down below).
Knead the dough gently with fingers just by placing ‘edges’ to the center. 
The best part is when at the very end you see those hidden bubbles inside the 'house', I mean bread. That is the sign that something good is cooking inside.

Dust with flour and leave to rise a bit more in a pan.

















  
Preheat the oven to 220oC, make marks with sharp knife on the surface of the loaf. Bake 10-15 minutes on 220oC and after that time reduce the temperature to 200oC and bake for another 25-30 minutes.

Ta daaaaaa!



























A slice of warm, homemade bread..  what more do you need for the weekend!?


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