BREADS

Making bread is not as difficult as most people imagine, nor as time-consuming as it is made out to be. But the finished product is far more satisfying than most modern, factory-made breads that contain many additives and preservatives. Only a few minutes time is required for actual preparation, although total time for the bread to rise and cook may be two hours. Perfection of the process may take time and practice, as you become accustomed to the different ingredients and their varying reactions to changing conditions, such as climate, slight variations in flour or yeast etc. Persevere, it’s worth it!

Basic Wholemeal Bread

1 dessertspoon granulated yeast
1 teaspoon raw sugar
5 cups wholemeal plain flour
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
2 1/2 - 3 cups lukewarm water
1 dessertspoon oil (optional)

Method

Mix together the yeast, sugar, flour and salt, stirring thoroughly. Add lukewarm water and oil to make a fairly firm dough. The dough should not be dry and heavy, but just moist enough so that it doesn’t quite stick to your hands as you knead it. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead. Roll into a loaf shape and place in an oiled bread tin (OR leave as a rolled loaf, OR you may like to split it into two or three and make a plaited loaf). Cover the loaf with a damp tea towel and stand it in a warm place to rise. When the dough has doubled in bulk (the time taken will depend on various factors, including room temperature, type of flour and yeast, but it may be as quick as 15 minutes or as long as _ hour), place in a pre-heated oven (200°C). Bake for 10 minutes (to kill the yeast), then turn the oven down to 180°-190°C. Continue baking for another 30 minutes. Test the bread by turning it out of the tin and tapping the bottom of the loaf. If it sounds hollow, it’s cooked. If it sounds flat, put it back in the tin, and back in the oven for a few minutes. If you like a crisp crust, let the loaf cool on a wire rack. If you like the crust soft, wrap it in a tea towel.

Sourdough Breads

Sourdough bread uses a starter to give it lightness and texture. The starter is allowed to sour, or ferment, and this gives a distinctive flavour to the bread. Some people think it’s delicious, others are not very impressed. Here are two starter recipes, one using yoghurt and the other using yeast, but there are others. If you bake bread regularly, the starter can be left at room temperature. If not, then store it in the refrigerator.

Starter 1

1 cup milk
3 tablespoons plain yoghurt
1 cup wholemeal plain flour

Method

Heat milk to a temperature of 32°-38°C. Remove from heat and add yoghurt. Stir well. Place in a non-metal container that is airtight and stand it in a warm place until it begins to form curd. If a clear liquid forms, stir it back in. If it is pink in colour this means that the milk has broken down. Discard and start again. After the curd has formed add flour and mix until smoothly blended. Cover and stand it in a warm place until the mixture is full of bubbles and begins to smell sour (2 - 5 days).

This recipe makes 1 1/2 cups of starter. Always replenish the starter by adding equal parts of warm milk and flour.

Starter 2

1 tablespoon granulated yeast
2 cups warm water
2 cups wholemeal plain flour

Method

Mix all the ingredients in a covered, non-metal bowl. Allow to stand at room temperature until it bubbles up and is sour (2 – 3 days). Always replenish the starter by adding equal parts of warm water and flour.

Simple Sourdough Bread

3/4 cup starter
2 cups lukewarm water
1 teaspoon sugar OR honey
5 cups plain flour

Method

Combine sourdough starter with water, honey and 2 1/2 cups flour. Allow plenty of time for this bread to stand, as it takes longer to rise (3 – 8 hours). When the mixture is bubbly and spongy-looking, stir in salt and the remaining flour to a firm, moist dough. Knead well on a floured surface for at least 10 minutes. Shape into a loaf, place in an oiled tin and allow to stand in a warm place until the dough has doubled in bulk. Bake in a pre-heated oven as for Basic Wholemeal Bread.

HINTS & VARIATIONS

The texture of the bread is largely determined by the kneading. A smooth, fine texture comes from extended kneading (say up to 10 minutes), whereas a more open texture results from less kneading.
Holes in the bread can result from rising too fast (too much yeast for the grade of flour being used); or rising too far (being left too long to rise, or continuing to rise in the oven if it is not hot enough); or failing to smooth out air pockets when shaping the bread into a loaf.
The amount of flour can be made up with wheat, rye, soya, oats, buckwheat, millet, barley or maize flours. However there should always be at least 25% wheat flour if you want your bread to rise and have a lightish texture. If you use only non-wheat flour you will have a very heavy loaf of bread, but it will be delicious.
A little rye flour added gives a softer crust.
Oats will give the bread a slightly more cake-like texture.
Liquid in the bread can come from water, milk, soya milk, yoghurt, the whey from cheese making, potato water etc.
Glaze the tops of the loaves with milk or oil, and sprinkle with sesame seeds, poppy seeds etc.
Adding caraway seeds, sesame seeds or fresh herbs gives a delicious flavour to the bread.
Chopped onion or garlic adds zest to the bread.
Use leftovers of cooked rice, grated cheese, mashed potato, pumpkin, zucchini etc or even porridge in the dough.
Honey, dried fruits, cinnamon, nutmeg or even mashed banana transforms bread into a sweet loaf.
Once you’ve mastered the basic recipe, try your own variations and additions to suit your own taste.

Chapati

Flat, round, unleavened bread
Atta flour or combination wholemeal & plain
pinch of salt
water as needed

Method

Two parts flour to one part liquid (you may like to include a little yoghurt or oil)
Straight wholemeal is not good for chapattis, use at least two thirds plain - soft Indian Atta flour is best
Knead only as much as is necessary and let sit if possible (moist is good - sticky is not)
Roll into a sausage and cut into portions
With a rolling pin roll into circles (thin but not so thin you can’t handle them)
Minimise the amount of flour you dust the surfaces with (unincorporated flour burns on cooking and has a bitter flavour whereas good chapattis have a sweetness about them)
Lay out and cover with a tea towel so they don’t dry
Cook as soon as possible so they don’t stick to each other
Dust by slapping from hand to hand
Place on a hot black iron pan until they start to change colour
Turn
Place over medium to high gas flame
Once puffed and not burnt turn over
Place on towel, paint with a little ghee (the ghee can be seasoned with a little garam masala and lemon) and cover with another towel to keep warm
Be prepared to fail a few times until you get the knack and the temperatures right
Don’t eat undercooked chapattis.

Panbread

A Damper Variation

1 _ cups wholemeal plain flour
1 cup white self-raising flour
1 dessertspoon sugar OR honey
1 good pinch of salt
milk OR water (as desired)
butter, to grease pan
poppy OR sesame seeds
1 skillet OR frypan, approximately 200-250mm diameter

Method

Thoroughly mix dry ingredients (but not the poppy OR sesame seeds) together in a bowl. Add milk or water (and honey if not using sugar) slowly and stir well until a thick batter forms. Note: If the mixture is thin a "crumpet effect" occurs when cooked.
Heat the pan to ‘Moderate’ and grease with a knob of butter. Spread the mixture evenly into the pan, smoothing the surface. Turn heat down to ‘Simmer’. Sprinkle poppy seeds on top and cook for about 7 minutes. Using an eggslice, slip the whole panbread onto a breadboard (soft side up!). Again grease the pan with a knob of butter and turn the heat up to ‘Moderate’. Carefully place both hands underneath panbread and flip over into pan (cooked side up). Turn heat down to ‘Simmer’ and cook for another 10 minutes or until done. Remove from pan onto wire tray.
To serve, cut into wedges and then horizontally through centre ready for buttering.