Ahhhhh. The rain has returned after a three month hiatus and my allergies have finally calmed down. Now it is the perfect weather to be baking often again. The BBB suggested a braided bread for World Bread Baking Day and invited buddies to join in. This time I decided not to do my standard sweet interpretation. Yes, we went garlicky with this beauty. I think it's appropriate since garlic is sometimes known as the stinking rose. ☺ Although since it is so pretty, I can definitely see myself making an almond/honey or cinnamon version for Thanksgiving breakfast. I noted my changes to the recipe in red. I did have an oh crud! moment as I was getting the dough mixed up, got all the butter incorporated and realized I had not added the yeast! Ahh! Run, grab yeast, dash it in, make sure it gets worked through well. Whew! Good thing I use instant yeast. I also decided not to do all spelt this time since I really wanted the braid to work well. I have some kamut now that I will experiment with in bread to cover the shortcomings of using all spelt. They are both ancient grains but have complementary properties with regard to dough structure and elasticity. For my filling I chose a bare spread of butter topped with a few tablespoons of pesto to which I had added half a head of fresh pressed garlic. It smells SO awesome folks. Sweet or savory, this is worth a try and really quite easy given how spectacular it looks.
Russian Rose
makes 1 loaf
Ingredients:
Dough
300 grams bread flour KA all purpose flour
200 grams white whole wheat flour whole spelt flour
100 grams sprouted wheat flour
2-3 tablespoons golden flax seed meal
2.25 teaspoons dry yeast (Fresh Yeast 28g (1oz))
10 grams Sugar 10g (0.35oz) sucanat
10 grams Salt 10g (0.35oz)
50 grams Canola Oil 50cc (1.7 fl oz) 56 grams butter 96g butter, 10g garlic olive oil
1 tablespoon White Vinegar apple cider vinegar
300 grams Water 300cc (10 fl oz) this is approximate
Original recipe called for
AP Flour 600g (21oz) total
seasoning was pesto, dusted with sumac
Filling - the options are only limited by your imagination and what's in your kitchen!
butter , softened
garlic, pressed
Parmesan, finely grated
salt , to taste
rosemary or basil
pesto
OR
cinnamon
sugar
butter
almond paste
honey
sliced almonds
nuts
dried fruit
Directions:
1. Set oven to 210c (410F) Prep: Baking Pan - 26cm (10") springform (no bottom), take a piece of parchment paper and crimp tightly around the bottom of the springform, oil the sides. Place on top of a baking sheet. Set aside.
2. Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl, add the water carefully as you start mixing. Use the dough hook 2-3 mins. on low speed and 2-3 mins. on medium speed. Dough should be supple and not sticky to the touch. Add water or flour if dough is too stiff or too loose (respectively). When dough is ready, spray a bowl with oil and gently put the dough in the bowl. Spray a little more oil on top and cover. Let rise (80%) about 40 minutes to an hour.
3. Lightly flour your work area. Flatten the dough gently with your hands.
Roll the dough as thin as you can using a floured rolling pin.
When rolling out the dough, try not to lift and move it too much. You can try and gently pull the dough to stretch it thin like with Strudel.
Apply a thin layer of your filling on top of the dough (leave the edge clear 1/4").
Slowly, tightly and very gently roll the dough into a roulade (pinwheel ). You will now have a very long roulade.
4. Take a sharp chef's knife (not a serrated knife) and cut (not saw) the roulade lengthwise trying to keep the knife in the middle so you end up with two equal parts (you can cut down from the seam but it is not make or break).
5. Place the two halves crossing each other (open roulade layers facing up) to create and X shape. Gently pick up the two ends of the bottom half, cross them over the top half, and place them back down. Continue this process, taking the two bottom ends and crossing them over the top until all the roulade has been used.
6. You now have a two strand rope shape. If for some reason some of the open roulade layers are pointing down or sideways, carefully turn them so they are facing up. Gently pinch the ends to seal. Look at the braid. If one end looks a little thinner make that your starting point. If not, just start from either end. Slowly and very gently, roll the braid sideways (horizontally) without lifting your hands from the table. You should keep those open roulade layers facing up. Pinch the end delicately. The end result should look like a giant snail shell or a very large cinnamon bun.
Depending on your filling you may want to sprinkle on something (paprika, sumac, brown sugar & cinnamon). Keep in mind you don't want to cover up the effect of the shaping.
7. Carefully pick up the braid and place in the prepared springform. Keep it flat on the parchment. The bottom of the braid should set nicely.
Cover. Let rise until the braid hits three quarters the way up the springform. Depending upon the temp in your kitchen this may take from 20 to 40 minutes.
8. Bake at 210c (410F) for 5-10 mins.,
lower oven to 180c (355F) and bake for another 20-30 mins.
There should be a decent amount of oven spring. The bread should rise above the springform edge.
When the bread is out of the oven lightly brush olive oil or butter on top and sides.
Let cool on a rack.
9. You are welcome to bake this with all white flour or any combination of flour you like.
This post will go up for Yeastspotting!
Awesome, really looks like a rose but I doubt I can handle this!
ReplyDeleteAw, thanks! It's really much easier than it looks. Just roll up the dough long ways (you want a long thin roll) cinnamon roll style, then cut the roll in half lengthwise. Turn the cut side up and do a simple two strand twist/braid, then coil it up. You're supposed to put it inside a 10" springform w/out the bottom to keep it in check but I know some people baked it in just a parchment lined pie pan.
ReplyDeleteI love the deep well defined crevices that you achieved. Beautiful bread!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I think it ended up like that because I DIDN'T have room to roll it out very thin and have so many layers. So the four or so layers there were opened up more.
ReplyDeleteHehehe, the stinking rose also keeps vampires away. ;-)
ReplyDeleteThank you for baking for Word Bread Day . Hope you will join us next year again!