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For 2/3 large loaves.
Start the process preferably in the evening.
Whilst 6 hours is the minimum ferment time, longer is better, allowing
the activated enzymes t-i-m-e to do their priceless work. So I
prefer the overnite ferment, creating the dough at sunset, which
means you get a loaf of 12>16 hours’ fermentation. But at a
squeeze, you can make a dough at 7am, and bake it in the evening.
Remember, the longer the ferment, the more nutritious and digestible the bread.
Doughs and ferments will vary according to many factors – seasons,
temperature, humidity, presence and types of local wild bacteria,
different flours, and so on.
A) First make the yeast mix in a small bowl:
Granulated yeast – half a level teaspoon
Plain flour 1 teaspoon
Ginger powder 1 teaspoon
Jaggary or molasses 1 dessertspoon
Add 1 cup of tepid water, not so hot that it burns the finger.
If it burns the finger, it will kill the yeast also.
Stir it well and leave; the yeast, etc. will slowly dissolve.
(A sourdough (wild yeast) starter may be used in place of baker’s
yeast. But don’t be afraid of baker’s yeast, as it also positively
transforms in the long ferment.)
B) Prepare the dough mix in a large bowl:
Put 2>3 kgs. of 80% unbleached organic plain wheat flour (not
wholemeal, as bran is indigestible) plus 20% other flours (for
a mixed carbohydrate spread). For this 20%, I use plain spelt,
lite wheat, kamut and either rye or barley flours. To remove any
rough bran, simply sift the flour. Also, I'm vague on measures,
because I do it by feel, even when it's 10kgs. of flour. Precision
in measures is not necessary for bread. It can vary, so can the
end result. After getting the basics, you will develop the feel
also. Using a higher % of plain wheat flour means a lighter loaf.
Add Ginger powder - 1 heaped teaspoon (best yeast growth material).
Good salt (Celtic) - 1 teaspoon
Now with a claw pasta spoon, stir this dry mix so that it becomes
evenly distributed.
C) Before proceeding to the next phase, first ensure that all ingredients
in the yeast mix have dissolved. Stir it.
In a suitable bowl, mix the following - a quarter cup of olive,
coconut or other good oil, plus half cup of yoghurt, and 3 cups
tepid water. Toss the (dissolved) yeast mix on top of all that
and stir with a wooden spoon. Then pour this liquid mix into the
flour mix and immediately stir in with a wooden spoon until it
gets too thick to move any more. Then it’s the hands’ work.
As I am unsure of proportions (which as I said doesn't matter,
as any combo of ingredients will basically work, simply giving
different textures and tastes), this mixture may be either too
dry or too wet. Once the spoon has done all it can, get your hands
into it, squeezing, kneading, punching dents into the idle of the
dough and then folding it over itself, getting air into the dough –for about ten
minutes.
You MAY have to either ADD more FLOUR to a TOO wet mix, or ADD
more WATER to a TOO dry mix. Check and record your quantities,
timings, as you go, and your own recipe will evolve. When the kneading
is done, make sure you have NO dry flour remaining anywhere in
the mix, on the sides of the bowl, etc.
The end result should be ever so slightly sticky to touch, not
too dry, not too wet. Then make a lid, not touching the dough,
of a damp cloth cover, and leave to rise. Or a normal lid will
be ok, but there must be space in the pot for the dough to rise
DOUBLE.
When you get up in the morning, the dough should have doubled,
and ideally will be standing up strong. If it has dropped or sagged,
it means that the combination of heat/humidity plus yeast has been
too volatile, so you can cut the amount of yeast next
time. Given t-i-m-e, even the smallest amount of yeast will eventually
spread throughout the dough, causing it to double. Overnite doughs
in winter may need a LITTLE MORE yeast to double, unless you find
a slightly warm (not hot) nook where it can stand.
You'll get it after a while. Persist; it’s well worth the apprenticeship.
D) Next morning, lightly oil your bread loaf tins (or you can make
bread rolls on an oven tray). Coconut oil is best, as it produces
gorgeous brown crusty loaves, and the loaves don’t stick to the
sides. If the dough is still a little sticky to the touch, no problems,
simply smear a very fine film (half-teaspoon spread with hand)
of coconut or olive oil on your table top and on your hands (this helps prevent
sticking), throw the doubled dough on it, punch it down, and start
kneading and folding over itself, getting air INTO it, treat it
rough for 5 minutes. Do NOT add more flour at this stage, as it
will not be fermented, which would defeat the whole purpose.
Then cut into pieces large enough to fill HALF of each bread tin
(it’s gonna rise double again). Separately knead these pieces a
little more, creating an unbroken top. Place in tins, and with
a very sharp knife, cut across the top of each dough 4 slices at
1 cm.
deep. This allows the rising to be better accommodated by an opening
upper surface.
E) The PROVING.
Place these tins in a warm place, a cosy corner, near a wood stove
(NOT HOT). However, if the climate is warm, normal atmospheric
temperatures are adequate for this second rise. If it’s a cold
winter morning, I prefer to place the tins directly into the oven
at 40 degrees C., completing the proving this way, then simply
increasing the temp. to 170C. as the loaves again reach their peak rise. Or prove
the loaves on top of a stove with the griller below on lowest heat.
Once the loaves have doubled again (anytime from 1 hour onwards),
put them into a pre-heated 170°C oven – and bake for 35/40 minutes.
Ovens vary a lot. Fan-forced ovens give a better distribution of
heat. You will discover your own timing eventually. 35 minutes
in my German Blanco oven makes a dampish, springier loaf; 40 minutes
a drier, crustier loaf.
Catching the loaf as it reaches peak rise is an art that cannot
be easily explained. If this second rise goes OVERtime, it may
sag in the cooking, or if it goes into the oven UNDERtime, it will still expand while cooking and so crack along
the sides. This will not affect the edibility so much, more the
aesthetics. If your oven is cooking unevenly, open the door after
20 minutes and turn the bread tins around for the last 15>20
minutes. Tapping the crust of the bread will indicate if the loaf
is cooked. There will be a hollow sound, and the surface will spring back. With experience
you will be able to tell, by touch, tap and tone, when the loaf
is just done, medium done or well-cooked.
F) Remove loaves from tins immediately once cooked, or they will
keep cooking and dry out. Place on cooling racks. VOILA!!
Once the loaves are totally cool, you may package and put in freezer.
Later, when you de-freeze it will be as fresh as when you cooked
it. The loaf that you start to eat direct from the oven should
stay in a bread bin for the first day. That evening, put it in
a sealed plastic bag and keep in the fridge.
Long-fermented bread has a much longer shelf life than quick bread.
All raw food wants to ferment. If we don’t pre-ferment, pre-digest
it, it’s gonna ferment in our stomachs anyway. It’s the same with
breads. Quick breads will soon develop tell-tale fungi, long-ferment
breads hardly at all, even after weeks.
G) You may make many variations upon this theme. Eg. Add olives
in a savory loaf.
Add organic dried apricots and fermented walnuts with rapadura
sugar and cinnamon for a sweet loaf.
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