Baked And Churned

Category: bread

  • Za'atar Maneesh

    Za'atar Maneesh

    My interest in baking was kicked off by watching the Great British Bake Off. I love Paul Hollywood. His beginner book was the first baking book I read and his basic recipes were the first I tried.

    This isn’t from that book, but it’s pretty simple, and delicious. I’d never heard of maneesh before I made it, but it’s similar to other middle eastern flatbreads. I had bought some good za’atar from a local spice shop and was looking for something to use it with, and found this recipe. We served it as the focus of a mezze plate with hummus and cheese and other accouterments, but honestly I liked it best just by itself.

    Za'atar Maneesh

    Paul Hollywood’s Za’atar Maneesh (Lebanese flatbread)

    • 500 g Bread Flour
    • 10 g Salt
    • 25 g Caster Sugar
    • 10 g Yeast
    • 320 ml Water ((tepid))
    • 1/3 c Za'atar ((buy or make))
    • 1/3 c Olive Oil

    1. Mix flour, salt, sugar, and yeast. Add 270ml of the water and mix. Slowly add the rest of the water until the dough comes together and all the dry ingredients are incorporated. Dough should be soft and not sticky.

    2. Knead until the dough is smooth (5-10m)

    3. Let dough rise in an oiled boil, covered, until doubled in size.

    4. Knock back the dough and split into 3 equal pieces. Roll the pieces into circles.

    5. Place the circles on a lined baking tray. Place in a bag and let proof for 20 minutes.

    6. Mix the oil and the za’atar in a bowl. Preheat oven to 450F.

    7. Once the dough has proofed spoon a decent amount of the toping on each circle and spread with a spoon or brush.

    8. Bake for 15 minutes.

    9. Let cool on a cooling rack until ready.

  • Multi Grain Cereal Bread

    Multi Grain Cereal Bread

    This type of bread is one my wife’s favorites. A hearty loaf with lots of oats, grains and seeds. It’s also part whole wheat, so all in all it has a lot of fiber and is healthier and diet friendlyish.. for bread anyway.

    Multi Grain Cereal Bread
    Multi Grain Cereal Bread
  • Buttermilk Biscuits

    Buttermilk Biscuits

    Everyone loves buttermilk biscuits. When you churn your own butter at home…

    ..you end up with lots of buttermilk. What better way to use it than buttermilk biscuits?! Well, possibly buttermilk scones, but today I made the biscuits.

    Put it all together and you get..

  • Sandwich Bread

    Sandwich Bread

    The classic sandwich bread, or “white bread” loaf. Perfect to try out a new butter recipe on. This recipe is based on Julia Child’s recipe, which I first saw via the blog Dinner With Julie. It’s the perfect blank slate bread to try out an butter you are making on, it’s a nice vehicle, but will never overshadow the flavor of what you put on it.

    Sandwich Bread

    Julia Child’s classic sandwich bread.

    • 2 1/2 cups warm water
    • 1 tbsp active dry yeast
    • 1 tbsp sugar
    • 6 – 6 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
    • 2 tsp salt
    • 1/4 cup butter (softened)

    1. In bowl of stand mixer combine 1/2 cup of the water with the yeast and sugar and let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.

    2. Add the rest of the water, half the flour, and stir until well blended.

    3. Add the salt and the butter, and start the mixer with dough hook attachment.

    4. Add the rest of the flour 1/2 cup at a time. If the dough is not smooth and elastic add a bit more flour or water as needed until texture is right.

    5. Shape dough into a ball and allow to rise in a bowl, covered, for 90 minutes. It should about double in size.

    6. Butter 2 loaf pans (4×8).

    7. Punch down the dough and split in half. Form each half into a rectangle and fold in thirds like you would to fit a letter in an envelope.

    8. Place 1 dough in each pan, cover, and let rise for an hour. Should fill or overflow the pan when done.

    9. Preheat oven to 375F.

    10. (optional) I usually eggwash the tops before baking. Standard eggwash, 1tbs cold water mixed with 1 whole egg.

    11. Bake 35 minutes.

  • The Pincer Method

    The pincer method is one of the key techniques from Flour Water Salt Yeast. It’s quite simple, and pretty much just what it sounds like. You just put your hand around / on top of the dough you are working and squeeze your thumb and forefinger together to cut the dough. I usually do this every two inches until you end up with a set of cross sections of the dough two inches wide, like a tomato you cut into slices.