Really Good Bread

MOIST, WHOLE GRAIN BREAD

In our household, this bread is very popular. It stays moist for at least a week, which is in stark contrast to most whole grain breads we've made, which seem to become crumbly within a day or two. I'm not personally a proponent of the no-knead school of bread making. I'm not interested in debating anyone about it, but if the no-knead method works for you, you have my delight and admiration. My neighbour swears by the no-knead bread. He says you just keep a large quantity of the dough in your fridge for up to 2 weeks, and the appropriate bread texture and tooth occur as the gluten activates over time. I personally don't like the taste that develops in uncooked dough in the fridge after a single day, let alone a week :(

So, here's how I do it: I knead it. Or rather my mixer kneads it (my mixer's name is Obsidian Betelgeuse, and is a real workhorse). If you don't have a mixer, you can knead it by hand. I used to do that. It's pretty fun. I think that is what they mean when they say 'kicking it old school'.

ingredients:

1 1/2 cups warm water

2 tbsp raw honey

1 tbsp bread yeast

1/4 cup flax meal

1/2 cup spelt flakes

1/4 cup hemp flour (optional)

1 tbsp sea salt

3 or 4 cups Organic Red Fyfe Flour (we've also used whole wheat pastry flour with good results in this particular recipe, but the Red Fyfe gives it a little something extra. We purchase it at Bulk Barn)

directions:

1. Stir the honey into the warm water (think warm bath not hot drink temperature)

2. add the yeast to the water and stir. Set aside. It should grow foamy after a few minutes.

3. combine the dry ingredients (start with 3 cups of flour).

4. add the foamy yeast water to the dry ingredients and stir until combined

5. begin kneading, adding more flour as needed until ideal consistency. The ideal dough consistency I can best describe as slightly clammy but not sticky. The dough should feel resilient and somewhat elastic.

6. once the ideal consistency has been achieve, knead the dough for at least 15 minutes if you are using a mixer. You might want to knead for longer if you are doing it by hand. Then again, you might want to gnaw your own wrists off after 15 minutes if you are doing it by hand.

7. put the dough into a a bread loaf pan, cover with parchment and a damp towel. Put in a draft free, cozy place (like an oven that has been heated for a few seconds. 

8. Let the dough rise undisturbed for 90 minutes or so.

9. take the towel off, turn the oven on to 345 (leaving the dough in the oven while you preheat), and set the timer for 50 minutes. I like to bake my dough on a baking stone, because I like the effect it has on the bottom crust.

Sometimes I bake the dough freeform in long baguette sort of shapes on a baking sheet. But right now we're in a loaf pan groove. 

Enjoy warm from the oven and sing hallelujah. Super for sandwiches, brilliant for bruschetta, and tops for toasting.


p.s. we just ate slices of it with left over butternut squash soup ... yum! I'm the only heel lover in my house, so I don't even have to arm wrestle anyone. So spoiled ;)








variation: October 17. Today I made this bread sans Hemp flour with the addition of 1/4 cup raw cacao powder. Yum. :)


variation: February 5. I'm really into Chia right now. Probably due to the fact that I have a five pound bag. Added a 1/4 cup finely ground chia seed. No hemp flour.