One of the positives about being home full time is that I have more opportunities to bake. For the past four weeks, I have baked fresh bread each Wednesday. And while there is definitely a learning curve involved, there is also something incredibly therapeutic about the process.
I love that the dough forces me to be patient and wait for it. It gives me great pleasure to watch it double in size, and sheer delight to deflate it so it can rise again. I can be gentle when I turn it out onto my floured countertop, or more aggressive when I cut, knead, and slap the dough. I can be creative when I shape the loaf...I can turn it into a boule, a loaf, a baguette, a bâtard, some rolls - why, I can even braid it! (still working on the braid...last week's braid looked more like a blob!) The possibilities are limitless. And even if you mess up and it is ugly, you still get to eat it and it will (most likely) still taste yummy.
This week's rosemary olive bread was my most successful loaf thus far. I followed the recipe at Pastry Affair with a couple of minor modifications. I really liked this blog because it had both very detailed instructions and helpful photos for each step. It is perfect for a beginner like me.
While four weeks does not qualify me as a bread master by any means, I thought I would share some tips from one beginner to another. Here are 5 tips I wish someone would have told me when I began this adventure a month ago!
Tip #1: Bread Simply Cannot Be Hurried
Making bread is not difficult, but it is very time consuming. It truly requires planning and forethought. The biggest thing to note is that you need to begin making the bread at least one night before you intend to bake it (some breads, like sourdough, the process begins a week ahead of time!) I started the night before by making the poolish (starter). This step is explained on the website above and takes very little time (about 5 minutes). The next steps have bursts of interactive time with your dough, followed by lengthy stints of waiting for it to rise. At least you can get some laundry done or read a book...
Tip #2: Avoid a Sticky Situation
One tip I can offer that is not mentioned in this recipe, but I learned the hard way last week, is to spray your plastic wrap with cooking spray before you cover your dough. As it rises, it will rise into the plastic wrap and stick so that when you pull off the plastic, you pull the bread dough up, too. Then it creates little spikes or lumps and your loaf looks like some medieval weaponry in the making instead of bread.
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| be sure to coat your plastic wrap with non-stick cooking spray |
Tip #3: Don't be Afraid to Get a little Steamy
When baking bread, I am learning that the key to getting a crisp crust and moist inside is steam. Last week, I used my husband's beloved cast iron skillet as is recommended in this recipe and in many others I have come across. He was not happy (in all fairness, I know it took him awhile to cure it and using it to create steam in an oven undoes all his hard work). So, one of my modifications was to keep a glass pan full of water in the oven. I also tossed a half cup of water directly onto the bottom floor of my oven right before I shut the door creating a mini-sauna for my dough.
And while I do not recommend you open and shut the door while the bread is baking (you will mess up the temperature and let out the steam), when you do need to open the oven door, do so with caution as you do not want that hot steam smacking you in the face. That would not feel too good.
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| transfer the dough and parchment onto the hot baking stone to get a crisp bottom crust - the pan of water is on the lower rack |
Tip #4: Tools Worth Purchasing
While you can make do without some of the recommended items, like the cast iron pan mentioned above or a lame. I used a very sharp knife instead of a lame to score the top of the bread with a criss-cross pattern (see above photo).
However, there is one tool that is worth buying - the pastry knife/dough scraper. Call it what you will, it is invaluable in baking - I use mine all the time, and not just for baking bread. The directions for this bread instruct you to use this tool to cut and knead the dough. Because of the dough's tackiness, this tool works well to scrape up the sticky bits off of your counter. I cannot think of another item that would work nearly as well.
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| I bought this several years ago and like that it enables me to make uniform measurements when making pastries |
The other tool that you can probably do without but may want to splurge on is a baking stone (or a pizza stone...same thing, really). You can easily find them on Amazon and they range from $8 to $50. I use mine for making homemade pizza, but also for baking bread. It helps heat your crust evenly and contributes to its delightful, flaky crust. A word of caution: Never place your sticky, gooey dough directly on the stone (yes, I learned that one the hard way, too). Either use parchment - which really is a baker's best friend - or sprinkle cornmeal on the stone first. And always heat up the stone in the oven and allow it to get nice and hot before you use it.
Tip #5: Have Fun
Baking bread can be intimidating if you are perfectionist (like me). Once you accept the fact that you will make mistakes and your loaves will not be picture perfect at first, baking bread is both joyful and rewarding.
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| baked rosemary olive bread pairs perfectly with a hearty stew on a chilly day |
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| The crust was perfectly crispy, and the kalamata olives helped keep the bread moist |
In the end, it was the perfect bread to go with my hearty Italian chicken stew. We still had some left over, so I wrapped it up in a paper bag and warmed it in the oven for dinner tonight. We all agreed it stands on its own, but that it would be tasty dipped in a flavored olive oil. Your home will smell divine and your belly will thank you...and you will feel like a rock star for making something so delicious!
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