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