I had resolved this year to bake goodies other than cakes – as I have been doing those for quite sometime now – and it was time to move on …………..I started the year with a failed banana bread which did not rise and sat like a camel’s hump in my tin. The lump did look like one, really!! I had a similar bad experience five years back …..and I had almost given up! This second disaster was even more heartbreaking……but I had made a promise to myself and I am not the one to go back on my word!
The
focaccia was a real breakthrough and is probably going to be the ‘leader of the pack’ – one of my favourite
Carpenter performances!!
Oh no…I guess I am going to be humming this all through this write up and probably forget many words and get the sequences wrong in the process.
What a mess…..but it can’t be helped……..the song is on my mind and my lips!!
On to the bread now – before I lose track!
I have given up eggs of late and so finding a bread recipe without eggs was the first step.
As usual turned to my Bible –
Classic Essential BREAD and BUNS – A KONEMAN Publication .
I found about four or five recipes fitting the bill.
The next step was going through the pictures and finding the ones that made my mouth water most – I believe it is the best guide to decide the taste - and whether the ingredients were on hand.
VOILA!! – The POTATO BREAD - It was right there staring at me out of the book, all decked and waiting to be picked - and here is the recipe with a few minor alterations (I can never resist doing this!). The recipe uses refined flour or maida but I have substituted that with some maida, atta etc.
Preparation time: About 10 to 20 minutes of assembling and kneading, first proofing for about 2hrs., assembling the bread and second proofing for about 30 minutes. Baking for about 1/2hr. WOW! That totals up to nearly 3½ hrs.
Ingredients:
Dried yeast – 7g
Warm water – ¼ cup for the yeast
Flour mixture – 3½ cups in the following composition
- Self raising flour – ½ cup
- Saffola atta mix - ½ cup
- Whole wheat flour and a fistful of wheat bran - 1½ cup
- Refined flour or maida - 1 cup
Salt - 1tsp
Everyday dairy whitener - 1½tbsp (The book used 2tbsp full cream milk powder)
Potatoes (Cooked, mashed and warm) - 1 cup
Chopped coriander - 1 cup (The book used chives instead)
Warm water extra for kneading the dough - 1 cup
Soymilk/milk/vegan butter/butter - for glazing (The book used egg white)
Mix of sesame and flax seeds - 1½tsp (The book used sunflower seeds)
Method:
- Brush a round cake tin (Mine is 8in.) with oil. (I did not line the tin).
- Dissolve yeast in warm water. Cover and leave in a warm place for 5 minutes or till it is frothy.
- Meanwhile mix the flours together and sift into a large bowl along with the salt and milk powder three times to evenly blend them.
- Combine the mashed potatoes and coriander with the flour and knead with the extra warm water to make a soft dough. Do not add water or flour if it doesn't gather immediately. Just continue for a few more minutes.
- The dough should be smooth and elastic. Oil a bowl and rest the dough in it. Brush the top with oil and set aside in a warm place for 1 hour to proof - It should be double in volume.
- Punch (See the one I have packed on the dough - looks dangerous, doesn't it? - Hehe!), and knead dipping your finger in a little oil if needed. Mine became very sticky.
- Divide into 14 balls - 6 slightly smaller. You may have to dip your finger in oil before making the balls - the dough will be a little sticky.
- Place a round ball in the centre of the tin and surround it with 6 balls in the first layer.
- Shape the other 6 balls a little oblong and place it above and between two balls of the first layer forming a second layer. Place another round ball in the centre and sprinkle the sesame and flax seeds on it forming a daisy pattern.
- Cover the tin and leave in a warm place for second proofing until the dough has risen well.
- Brush the top with milk and water or egg white.
- Preheat the oven to 210 deg. C. and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Reduce and bake for 20 to 30 minutes till the top has browned and is firm to touch or till a skewer inserted comes out neat.
- Let it cool in the tin for about 10 minutes. Turn out and cool on a wire rack for sometime.
Verdict:
The bread is definitely healthy and has a good texture - soft and crumbly as seen here with a good crust - not hard just firm.
But it has to be served with something more than just butter - maybe cheese. It is a good substitute for pav as in 'pav bhaji'. My daughter prefers the focaccia - she is a little bored with my obsession for healthy flour, I guess ;). My son liked it but said he would have liked a doughnut better. My husband thought it was like an ordinary whole wheat bread and I thought - Well! wasn't that exactly what it was supposed to be?? I guess we all had 'great expectations' because of the potatoes - I could not figure out the role!!
I won't repeat it soon.....maybe I will make it when I have tried out the rest of the bread recipes. Next in my line is 'The thin crust Italian pizza' !
Labels: Baking - Bread, Baking - Shaped Breads, Colour - brown, Cooking From Books, Ing. - Yeast, Ing. - APF, Ing. - Potatoes, Ing. - Whole wheat flour, My Bakes
