Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day: 100 New Recipes Featuring Whole Grains, Fruits, Vegetables, and Gluten-Free Ingredients (16 page)
Authors: Zoe Francois,Jeff Hertzberg MD
Bavarian-Style Whole Grain Pumpernickel Bread
On our Web site, people asked us whether they could use wicker rising baskets (
banneton
in French, or
brotform
in German) to contain the dough and prevent it from spreading sideways during prolonged rising. We were a bit skeptical, fearing that dough this wet might stick to the wicker. But so long as you coat the wicker heavily with white flour, it’s not a problem. And it can be a gorgeous solution when you’ve mixed the dough a little too wet, or it’s near the end of its storage life. The traditional Baviarian-style pumpernickel rises in a
brotform,
and it’s designed to be a very rustic bread, ringed with scorched flour. It’s perfect with butter or for dipping into hearty soups. The smaller
bannetons
are a bit difficult to find, but it’s worth seeking out a 6½-inch one. If you use a larger
banneton
(like the commonly available 9-inch model), it’s going to take 3 pounds of dough and require a very long baking time (at least an hour). If you don’t have a
banneton
, this dough bakes up beautifully as a free-form or loaf bread.
ALTUS
:
Traditional pumpernickel recipes call for the addition of “
altus,
” which is stale rye or pumpernickel bread crumbs, soaked in water, squeezed dry, and blended into the dough. If you want to find a use for some stale rye or pumpernickel bread, you can experiment with this approach, which some say adds moisture and flavor to many traditional rye breads. Add up to a cup of
altus
with the liquid ingredients. You may need to adjust flour to end up with dough of your usual consistency.
Makes enough dough for at least four 1-pound loaves. The recipe is easily doubled or halved.
2½ cups whole wheat flour
2¾ cups rye flour
2½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1½ tablespoons granulated yeast, or 2 packets (
decrease to taste
)
1 tablespoon kosher salt (
increase or decrease to taste
)
1 tablespoon caramel color powder or
¼ cup of homemade liquid caramel color (see
chapter 2
)
¼ cup vital wheat gluten
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
2 tablespoons molasses
4 cups lukewarm water
1. Mixing and storing the dough:
Whisk together the flours, yeast, salt, caramel color, vital wheat gluten, and caraway seeds in a 5-quart bowl, or a lidded (not airtight) food container. If you make your own caramel, it’s going to be a liquid, so add it in step 2 and decrease water by ¼ cup.
2.
Combine the water and molasses, and your own caramel if using, and mix them with the dry ingredients without kneading, using a spoon, a 14-cup food processor (with dough attachment), or a heavy-duty stand mixer (with paddle). You might need to use wet hands to get the last bit of flour to incorporate if you’re not using a machine.
3.
Cover (not airtight), and allow the dough to rest at room temperature until it rises and collapses (or flattens on top), approximately 2 hours.
4.
The dough can be used immediately after the initial rise, though it is easier to handle when cold. Refrigerate it in a lidded (not airtight) container and use over the next 7 days.
5. On baking day,
prepare a 6½-inch
banneton/brotform
by generously sprinkling it with flour; shake it all around so it coats the sides.
Be generous with the flour.
Dust the surface of the pumpernickel dough with flour and cut off a 1-pound (grapefruit-size) piece of dough. Dust the piece with more flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go.
6.
Place the loaf into the
banneton
with the irregular side up;
the smooth, tightly shaped side stays in contact with the basket. The dough should come about two-thirds of the way up the sides of the
banneton
. Cover the
banneton
loosely with plastic wrap and allow the loaf to rest at room temperature for 90 minutes (40 minutes if you are using fresh, unrefrigerated dough). You might not see impressive rising during this time.
7. Thirty minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 450°F,
with a baking stone placed on the middle rack. Place an empty metal broiler tray on any other rack that won’t interfere with the rising bread.
8.
After the dough is rested, gently use your fingers to be sure that it isn’t sticking to the
banneton
. Don’t dig way down or you may deflate the loaf. Gently turn the basket over onto your preheated stone; it should unmold and drop gently. If it doesn’t, help it out with your fingers and make the best of it
(be careful; don’t burn yourself on the hot stone).
It should be fine even if it deflates a bit, thanks to oven spring. Using a serrated knife, make ¼-inch-deep slashes in a cross pattern, which will create a beautiful effect with the
concentric circles of flour
.
9.
Pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the broiler tray, and quickly close the oven door (see
Chapter 3
for steam alternatives). Bake for about 30 minutes, until firm. Smaller or larger loaves will require adjustments in resting and baking time.
10.
Allow the bread to cool on a rack before slicing or eating.
Black-and-White Braided Pumpernickel and Rye Loaf
Black-and-White Braided Pumpernickel and Rye Loaf
This festive loaf is a New York classic. Pumpernickel and rye doughs are braided together to create a delicious showpiece that is great for sandwiches, or just “shmeared” with butter (see
photo above
).
Makes one braided 1-pound loaf
½ pound (orange-size portion)
Bavarian-Style Whole Grain Pumpernickel Bread dough
½ pound (orange-size portion)
Whole Grain Rye Bread dough
Caraway seeds for sprinkling on top crust
1.
Dust the surface of the pumpernickel dough with flour and cut off an orange-size piece. Dust the piece with more flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go.
2.
Dust the surface of the rye dough with flour and cut off an orange-size piece. Dust the piece with more flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go. Cut the ball in half and form 2 balls.
3.
Roll each ball between your hands (or on a board), stretching to form 3 long ropes of equal length (the pumpernickel rope will be thicker because its dough ball was twice as large). If the balls resist shaping, let them rest for 5 minutes and try again—don’t fight the dough.
4.
Line up the 3 ropes, keeping the pumpernickel rope in the center. Braid the ropes, starting from the center and working to one end. If you’ve never done a 3-stranded braid before, it’s simple—just remember to drape one of the outside strands over the center one, then do the same with the other outside strand (see
challah photo
). Repeat till you reach the end and then pinch the strands together. Flip the loaf over, rotate it, braid from the center out to the remaining end, and pinch the ends of the strands together. This produces a loaf with a more uniform thickness than when braided from end to end.
5.
Allow the loaf to rest, loosely covered with plastic wrap, on a pizza peel prepared with cornmeal or lined with parchment paper for 90 minutes (40 minutes if you’re using fresh, unrefrigerated dough). Alternatively, you can rest the loaf on a silicone mat or a greased cookie sheet without using a pizza peel.
6. Thirty minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 450°F
, with a baking stone placed on the middle rack. Place an empty metal broiler tray on any other rack that won’t interfere with the rising bread.
7.
Just before baking, use a pastry brush to paint the loaf with water, and then sprinkle with the caraway seeds.
8.
Slide the loaf directly onto the hot stone (or place the silicone mat or cookie sheet directly on the stone if you used one). Pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the broiler tray, and quickly close the oven door (see
Chapter 3
for steam alternatives). Bake for about 35 minutes, until richly browned and firm. If you used parchment paper, a silicone mat, or a cookie sheet under the loaf, carefully remove it and bake the loaf directly on the stone or an oven rack two-thirds of the way through baking. Smaller or larger loaves will require adjustments in resting and baking time.
9.
Allow the bread to cool on a rack before slicing and eating.
Bradley Benn’s Beer Bread
“My friend Bradley Benn is a talented potter in Minneapolis, and, as it turns out, an accomplished bread baker. Much to my surprise and delight, he delivered a fabulous loaf of bread to my home
.
He had adapted his favorite beer bread for the
Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day
quick method and used white whole wheat flour. The flavor had sourdough characteristics, the crumb was wonderful, and the onions and walnuts added the perfect touch. The whole wheat beer dough makes a wonderful loaf without the addition of the onions and walnuts as well. He was kind enough not only to share the bread, but also his recipe, which I deliver to you
.
Thank you, Bradley!”
—Zoë
Makes enough dough for at least three 1-pound loaves. The recipe is easily doubled or halved.
¾ cup rye flour
5 cups white whole wheat flour
1½ tablespoons granulated yeast, or 2 packets (
decrease to taste
)
1 tablespoon kosher salt (
increase or decrease to taste
)
¼ cup vital wheat gluten
1¼ cups water
1½ cups beer
¼ cup neutral-flavored oil
1 tablespoon honey
The Onion Mixture, per loaf
The fats in walnuts have a terrific beneficial effect on cholesterol, plus they’re loaded with fiber and vitamin E. But eat them in moderation, because they’re high in calories.
½ medium sweet onion, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary (½ teaspoon dried)
½ cup walnuts, chopped
½ teaspoon fresh rosemary (¼ teaspoon dried) for sprinkling on the top crust
½ teaspoon coarse salt for sprinkling on the top crust
1. Mixing and storing the dough:
Whisk together the flours, yeast, salt, and vital wheat gluten in a 5-quart bowl, or a lidded (not airtight) food container.
2.
Combine the water, beer, ¼ cup oil, and honey and mix them with the dry ingredients without kneading, using a spoon, a 14-cup food processor (with dough attachment), or a heavy-duty stand mixer (with paddle). You might need to use wet hands to get the last bit of flour to incorporate if you’re not using a machine.
3.
Cover (not airtight), and allow the dough to rest at room temperature until it rises and collapses (or flattens on top), approximately 2 hours.
4.
The dough can be used immediately after initial rise, though it is easier to handle when cold. Refrigerate it in a lidded (not airtight) container and use over the next 10 days. The flavor will be best if you wait for at least 24 hours of refrigeration.
5. Preparing the onions:
In a sauté pan over medium heat cook the onions, olive oil, salt, pepper, and rosemary until the onions are wilted, but not darkened. Remove from heat and set aside.
6. On baking day,
dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a 1-pound (grapefruit-size) piece. Dust with more flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go.
7.
With a rolling pin, roll out the dough until it is a ¼-inch-thick rectangle. As you roll out the dough, use enough flour to prevent it from sticking to the work surface, but not so much as to make the dough dry.
8.
Spread the sautéed onion mixture and walnuts evenly over the rolled-out dough, leaving a ½-inch border all around. Roll the dough into a log starting at the long end. Pinch the ends closed. Allow the loaf to rest, loosely covered with plastic wrap, and rise on a pizza peel prepared with cornmeal or lined with parchment paper for 90 minutes (40 minutes if you’re using fresh, unrefrigerated dough). Alternatively, you can rest the loaf on a silicone mat or a greased cookie sheet without using a pizza peel.
9. Thirty minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 400°F
, with a baking stone placed on the middle rack. Place an empty metal broiler tray on any other rack that won’t interfere with the rising bread.
10.
Just before baking, use a pastry brush to paint the top with water, and then sprinkle with additional rosemary and coarse salt. Slash the loaf with ¼-inch-deep parallel cuts, using a serrated bread knife.
11.
Slide the loaf directly onto the hot stone. Pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the broiler tray, and quickly close the oven door (see
Chapter 3
for steam alternatives). Bake for about 45 minutes, until deeply browned and firm. If you used parchment paper, a silicone mat, or a cookie sheet under the loaf, carefully remove it and bake the loaf directly on the stone or an oven rack two-thirds of the way through baking. Smaller or larger loaves will require adjustments in resting and baking time.
12.
Allow the bread to cool on a rack before slicing or eating.