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    Sunday, October 12, 2008

    International World Bread Day - Cherry and Chocolate Bread and Mushroom and Onion Bread - Twin Delights

    Cherry and Chocolate Bread and Mushroom and Onion Bread
    Two delightful ways to consume calories
    Tomorrow we are off to a holiday in the sun. Noosa here we come.
    11 days lying around the pool, few walks, some shopping and lots of food and drink.
    Our friend Geoff invited us to go for a spin in his boat.
    I wanted to bake bread. Zorra click here is hosting an event
    to celebrate World Bread Day. The International Union of Bakers and Bakers-Confectioners (UIB) declared 16th of October as World Bread Day.
    So this was an excellent opportunity to make these loaves I had seen on Television.
    Food TV has been re-running a great old baking show called “Use Your Loaf” starring James Martin (a very young James Martin) and his mate baker Paul Hollywood. I have saved some episodes on My Sky and now was my chance.

    So I turned down the trip, farewelled Dale, sent him off with a freshly made Bacon and Egg Pie and said hello to my kitchen.

    Four loaves - two varieties

    First I made the master dough.
    The secret is to make sure the dough is quite wet before you start kneading.

    1 kg bread flour.
    2 pkts dried yeast
    30 gms salt
    Splash olive oil
    Warm water
    …to get the right temperature I suggest you put 1/3 boiling water and top up with cold water. Prepare about 600mls for this amount of flour

    So add yeast to about 300 mls warm water stir and leave for about 3 minutes

    Meanwhile add flour salt and olive oil to large bowl.
    Stir with your hand and add yeast and water
    Mix and keep on adding water till the flour is all used up.
    Throw onto bench and start kneading
    Knead for about 5-6 minutes till it becomes smooth.
    Back into lightly oiled bowl and leave till it doubles in size
    Cover with oiled plastic wrap or a tea towel
    About 1 hour
    Back onto bench and cut into two.
    Put one piece back into the bowl and set the other aside

    Cherry and Chocolate Bread
    So - add to dough in bowl
    1 cup canned pitted cherries
    1 cup chocolate chips
    It will be very sloppy but persevere - just keep mixing
    Keep adding flour and knead in the bowl till amalgamated.
    Put to one side, cover and prove again for another hour.
    Cut once again into two

    Knead a little and roll into a ball
    On a floured bench
    Pat down using floured fingers
    Slash and place on baking paper on a baking tray
    Throw a tea towel over them and leave about another hour
    Bake at 205C for approx 30 minutes

    The bread should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom
    It looks and tastes great.
    Then with the remaining dough
    Saute
    1 onion finely chopped in olive oil
    5-6 med mushrooms chopped
    1 teaspoon dried oregano
    Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

    Put the dough back into the bowl
    Add hot onions and mushroom mix
    Handful of flour
    over the top
    And knead, adding more flour as necessary
    Put aside as before, and prove, covered
    Cut into two bits
    Shape into balls
    Pat down once again, on floured bench using your floured fingers.
    Place on baking paper lined tray
    Slash - cover with tea towel
    Bake 205C oven 30 minutes.

    By the way Dale returned with a smile on his face, a bit flushed with fishing success… aided also with some Sauvignon Blanc…carrying this lovely snapper.
    Great…fish sandwiches for dinner.
    Sautéed the filets in a little extra virgin olive oil and little butter
    Slice open the remainder of the onion bread
    A little mayo
    Some baby Cos lettuce
    Fish on top.
    Dinner.
    What a Productive Day and Haven't we been well fed

    6 comments:

    Lisa Johnson said...

    What beautiful and creative breads! I want to make some bread for the event too. I actually made some bread about a month and a half ago that I never blogged about, because it needed some improving. I'm hoping to try it again.

    zorra said...

    A very productive day indeed! Enjoy your holiday!

    Dee said...

    Your breads sound lovely. A question, if you don't mind: how much yeast is in your two packets?

    So So Simple said...

    Hi anali hope you have made your bread haven't had time to look but twill today.
    Zorra Just back and the holiday was great thank you.

    Dee 8 gms in each sachet.
    Cheers

    Sunshinemom said...

    Both the versions looks delicious!

    So So Simple said...

    Thanks sunshinemom just perfect for a sunny day picnic.
    Cheers