more qucik white bread

Mixed up a full batch of quick white bread last night, with some mods:

• Used unbleached bread flour instead of AP flour
  
• Made sure water was warm (microwave in Pyrex measuring cup for about 1 minute)
• Added about 1 tbsp of honey to the water
• Dissolved yeast in honey water for a minute or two
• Added about 2 tbsp vegetable oil to dough
• Added 6 tbsp gluten
• Added about 3 tbsp active sourdough starter
• Let rise for 15 minutes before going into fridge, where it has remained (almost 12 hours so far)

Packing it up and taking it to June Lake with me!

EDIT 2009-04-10: turned out pretty well. With steam, it had a decent crust. Flavor still isn't nearly as fully developed as sourdoughs or grandmas bread. Rise time post-fridge should probably be 2 hours.

no-knead whole wheat

I like the King Arthur Flour blog, lots of great recipes shared. This no-knead whole wheat caught my eye. Quick, no knead breads are appealing, and this one looks good. I like whole wheat too, so this appeals even more!

* 1 cup lukewarm water
* 1/4 cup orange juice
* 1/4 cup melted butter or vegetable oil
* 3 tablespoons molasses, maple syrup, dark corn syrup, or brown sugar corn syrup
* 2 teaspoons instant yeast
* 1/4 cup Baker's Special Dry Milk or nonfat dry milk
* 1 1/4 teaspoons table salt
* 3 cups King Arthur whole wheat flour, white whole wheat preferred


1) Heavily grease an 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan. This loaf tends to stick, so be sure to grease the pan thoroughly with non-stick vegetable oil spray.

2) Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl. Beat the mixture vigorously for about 3 minutes; an electric mixer set on high speed works well here. You should have a very sticky dough. It won't be pourable, but neither will it be kneadable. (use wet hands if necessary to smooth out). Scoop it into the prepared pan.

3) Cover the pan with lightly greased plastic wrap, and let it rise for 60 to 90 minutes; it should just about rise to the rim of the pan, perhaps just barely cresting over the rim. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 350°F.

4) Uncover the bread, and bake it for about 40 to 45 minutes, tenting it with aluminum foil after 20 minutes. The bread is done when it's golden brown on top, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers between 190°F and 195°F. Remove it from the oven, and after 5 minutes turn it out onto a rack. Brush with melted butter, if desired; this will keep the crust soft. Cool the bread completely before cutting it.

Notes:

I'm trying my first go-round with a few mods:

1. Using veg oil instead of butter
2. Using molasses
3. Using 2 cups whole wheat + 1 cup white AP flour instead of 3 cups KAF white whole wheat
4. Used same steam baking method I do with all breads
5. I did brush top crust with melted butter once baked.

RESULTS:

• Tender crumb, with very few holes
• Very thin, soft, almost non-existant crust; I would like slightly more crust.
  
• Very soft, not very chewy
• Decent rise; longer rise time (perhaps retard) in fridge could've improved texture & flavor
  
• Definitely taste molasses in there; honey might have been better for sweetness, more gentle
• Could use a little more sweetness (sugar/honey/molasses)
• Beckey liked it a lot, would make it again as-is.
  

quick white bread

Here's a quick white bread recipe I thought I had posted a while back (ED NOTE: looks like I did, back in 5/2008). Can be halved easily for quick stuff.

This recipe makes 4 large loaves.

6.5 cups AP flour
3 cups warm water
1.5 tbsp active dry yeast
1.5 tbsp kosher salt

1. Stir until well combined in a big container (no need to knead!)
2. Rise for 1-2 hours, covered
3. Refrigerate overnight (or at least 3 hours)
4. Preheat oven to 450
5. Pinch off a piece (grapefruit size is good)
6. Shape and let rise for 40 minutes
7. Slash loaf
   
8. Bake with steam for 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown

Use remaining dough within 2 weeks. Follow steps #4-8 when ready to bake.