Gluten dreams

Bread, everybody loves it and everybody loves to hate it. The war on gluten is here to stay, seems to me gluten is the scapegoat for the unhealthy. Truth, it’s not the gluten in the flour but the quality of the flour that’s the culprit, unless of course you are diagnosed with gluten sensitivity or Celiac disease.

Most of the flour we consume is milled from genetically-modified wheat which tends to cause gut intolerance in our bodies and may lead to more serious health conditions. The problem with GMO wheat is the glyphosate-based herbicide, Roundup, with which the wheat is sprayed, has been proven to have undesirable side effects. However, you can choose to use an organic flour which is free from pesticides and herbicides or be more selective of the quality of flours you choose to use in your home. This way you can enjoy great bread, especially when you bake it yourself.

This is the season of sandwiches and breads, the dinner roll that will accompany a festive lunch and the hops and sandwich loaves with which to enjoy those ham, turkey and stuffing sandwiches, my personal favourite. Remember all breads can be happily frozen until you need to enjoy. Remove from the freezer and let defrost on your kitchen counter the night before. Happy baking !

Crusty Italian loaf

For the sponge:

8 tsps instant yeast

1 cup hot water (105-120F)

2 cups bread flour

For the dough:

2 cups warm water (105-120F)

5 cups bread flour

2 tsp salt

The night before:

Prepare the sponge. Place flour, and yeast into a large bowl and add the flour, mix to a creamy consistency.

Cover with plastic wrap and leave overnight. The mixture will rise and be very bubbly, then it will fall a bit.

The next morning, place the sponge into the bowl of an electric mixer, add the two cups of water gradually and mix well to dissolve the sponge, use a wooden spoon here.

With your electric mixer or by hand, add salt and add the balance of the flour, gradually.

Knead until soft. Cover and let rest for about 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400

Divide the dough into 2 pieces, and shape into loaves.

Cover and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

Place on a baking tray and bake for one hour.

Makes 2 very large loaves.

Cheese n’garlic rolls

3 cups flour

½ tbs instant yeast

½ tbs sugar

1 tbs butter, soft

1 tsp salt

1¼ cups milk

1 cup grated cheese

1 tbs garlic butter

In a large bowl place flour yeast, salt and sugar and butter.

Add milk and knead to soft smooth dough, about 5 minutes.

Cover and let rise until doubled in volume, about 45 to 60 minutes.

Punch down dough and roll to 9x13 rectangle.

Spread with garlic butter and then sprinkle on cheese.

Roll up into a log and slice into 12 pieces.

Place into 9x13 baking tin.

Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400F

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes

Makes 12 cheesy buns

Hops

4 cups all-purpose flour

2 ½ tsp instant yeast

1 tsp salt

1 tsp brown sugar

½ cup milk

2 tbs vegetable oil

1 cup warm water (110-120F)

Combine three cups flour with yeast and sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl or with an electric mixer.

Combine milk with water and oil, add to flour and mix well, add the rest of the flour to knead to a soft smooth dough, knead for about 8 minutes.

Lightly grease dough and cover with plastic.

Let rise until doubled in volume, about 1¼ hours.

Punch down, divide into 8 equal pieces.

Roll each into a smooth ball.

Place on a greased baking tray, let rise again until doubled in size about 45 to 60 minutes.

Bake in a cool oven, do not preheat just turn the oven temperature to 375F and let the rolls begin baking in a cool oven.

Bake for 25 minutes until dark golden.

Makes 8

Sandwich butter bread

2 cups milk

5-5 ½ cups all-purpose flour

2 tbs sugar

1 tbs instant yeast

2 tsp salt

6 tbs unsalted butter at room temperature

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine, milk, 5 cups flour, yeast, and salt.

Add more flour to make a soft pliable dough, knead for 3 minutes more.

Add the butter and continue kneading until all the butter has been incorporated.

Dough should look smooth and elastic.

Cover and let rise for 90 minutes.

Meanwhile have ready 2 loaf pans, 8½x 4½

Divide the dough into 2 parts, divide each part into 8 pieces.

Round each piece into smooth balls.

Place 8 dough balls into each pan, in 2 rows of 4 each.

Cover and let rise again for 1½ hours.

30 mins before baking preheat oven to 375F

Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden.

rahamut@gmail.com