Читать книгу Baking Made Easy - Lorraine Pascale - Страница 6

If you’re lucky enough to live near a good patisserie or deli, you’ll know what an amazing array of breads they have on show. When I have time, I find great comfort in making my own bread, and whether you’re a novice or are well-practised in bread-making, there will be something for you here. Soda bread comes top for ease of making, while the fougasse needs slightly more effort and skill. Whichever recipes you choose, if you follow the instructions to the letter, you’ll end up with a loaf to be proud of.

‘Blues is to jazz what yeast is to bread. Without it, it’s flat.’

Carmen McRae

Jazz vocalist and pianist 1920 – 1994

Croissants

A humble breakfast pastry or the king of Parisian patisserie – how did the simple croissant become so famous? The homemade version is quite different to the ones widely available in supermarkets. Admittedly there is a high degree of fiddlyness required to create this most perfect of crescent-shaped delights (and let’s not dwell on the mountain of butter involved…). However, my recipe is speedier than other croissant recipes and the taste and texture are in sharp contrast to the soft, insipid variety you will have previously eaten. Makes 12–14

310g (11oz) strong white bread flour

165g (5½oz) plain flour, plus extra for dusting

2 tsp salt

60g (2½oz) soft light brown sugar

1 x 7g sachet of fast-action dried yeast

40g (1½oz) butter

250ml (9fl oz) water

230g (8¼ oz) block of butter, softened

Vegetable oil or oil spray, for oiling

1 egg, lightly beaten, for glazing

Put the flours, salt, sugar, yeast and 40g (1½oz) butter in a large bowl. Using your fingers, rub the butter into the mixture until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the water and stir with a knife to bring the mixture together. Gently knead for less than a minute to a smooth ball. For croissants, unlike most bread, it is important that the dough is ‘worked’ as little as possible at this stage. Wrap it in clingfilm and leave in the fridge for 1 hour to rest.

Once the dough has been ‘rested’, roll it out on a well-floured surface to a rectangle no larger than 20 x 20cm (8 x 8in). Place the block of softened butter in the middle of the dough. The butter needs to be the same softness as the dough. Fold up the edges of the dough over the top so they overlap and completely cover the butter.

This next process is called rolling and folding, or ‘turns’, and it creates the characteristic flaky layers of a croissant. Keep the work surface well floured so the dough does not stick. Roll out the dough to a rectangle 3 times as long as it is wide, about 45 x 15cm (17¾ x 6in). Make sure it is rolled uniformly so the butter is spread out evenly inside.

Place the dough with the shortest end facing you. As if you were about to step out on a red carpet. Take the end nearest you and fold it into the centre. Then fold the top third down so the two ends now meet in the middle. Turn the dough 90° to the left and then repeat this step. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and put in the fridge for an hour to rest. You have now given the dough two ‘rolls and folds’.

Remove the dough from the fridge and give the dough one more ‘roll and fold’ by rolling it out to 45 x 15cm (17¾ x 6in) again and folding the ends into the middle as before. Then roll it out to a rectangle about 35 x 14cm (14 x 5½in). Place the dough on the baking tray, cover with oiled clingfilm and leave to rest in the fridge for 1 hour.

Put the dough on a lightly floured work surface and trim any ragged edges with a sharp knife, then cut the dough in half lengthways. Cut each strip into triangles, each with a base of about 6cm (2½in) and two longer sides, 8.5 x 8.5cm (31/3 x 31/3in), going up to the point. You may have some trimmings left over. Place each triangle on the work surface with the longer point towards you and roll up the triangle away from you so that the tip folds over the top. Place them all on the baking tray and carefully curve into crescent shapes. Make sure the croissants are spaced well apart to allow them to expand during cooking. Cover with oiled clingfilm and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas Mark 6.

Brush the croissants lightly with the lightly beaten egg and bake in the oven for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack.

Mascarpone & brown sugar

Scones

The unusual use of mascarpone and light brown sugar in this recipe makes these scones extra rich and a cut above the regular type. Makes 9

340g (12oz) self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting

1 tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

80g (3oz) butter, cold and cubed

2 tbsp soft light brown sugar

80g (3oz) mascarpone

About 90ml (3fl oz) milk

1 egg, lightly beaten, for glazing

Preheat the oven to 210°C (415°F), Gas Mark 6–7. Dust a large baking tray with flour.

Put the flour, baking powder, salt, butter and sugar in a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the mascarpone, then pulse again for 3 seconds. (If you don’t have a food processor, put all the ingredients in a medium bowl, pick up chunks of butter covered in flour and rub them between your thumbs and forefingers. Add the mascarpone and continue ‘rubbing in’. This shouldn’t take more than about 5 minutes.)

Pour the mixture into a large bowl and make a hole in the centre, then pour in enough milk to make a soft dough and stir with a knife. Use both hands to bring the mixture together, and squeeze, making sure any dry bits get picked up. It may seem like a crumbled mess but keep squeezing and the dough will come together. Knead lightly for a few seconds just to make the dough smooth and then roll out quickly on a lightly floured surface to about 2cm (¾in) thick.

Cut out rounds using a 6cm (2½in) round cutter (though any size will do) and place them on the prepared baking tray. It’s important not to twist the cutter whilst doing this or the scones won’t rise evenly when baked. Squish together any leftover dough, roll out and cut out more scones.

Brush the tops with beaten egg and bake in the oven for 10–12 minutes, or until the scones are nicely risen, firm and golden brown. Remove from the oven and leave to cool a little on the tray. They are best served fresh and warm from the oven with lashings of clotted cream, strawberry jam and a pot of tea.

Brioche Rolls

The easiest way to make brioche is in an electric mixer with a dough hook. You can make it by hand, but you’ll need some time and a whole heap of patience. As an alternative to a brioche mould you can use a deep muffin tin. For a variation, soak some raisins in Madeira for an hour, dry them well, toss in flour (to stop them from sinking during baking) then add them to the dough once all the butter has been added. Makes 12

Vegetable oil or spray oil, for oiling

500g (1lb 2oz) plain flour, plus extra for dusting

1½ sachets of fast-action dried yeast (10g/1/3oz)

2 tsp salt

3 tbsp soft light brown sugar

6 cold eggs, lightly beaten

310g (11oz) butter, softened

1 egg, lightly beaten, for glazing

Equipment

12 mini brioche moulds or a 12-hole deep muffin or cupcake tin

Oil the moulds or muffin or cupcake tin.

Put the flour in an electric mixer with the yeast, salt and sugar. Add the eggs, two at a time, mixing well between each addition on a slow speed. Once the eggs are all added, mix for 8 minutes. With the mixer still on a low speed add the butter in 5 additions, making sure that each bit of butter is well mixed in before the next is added. Every couple of minutes or so, scrape the sides of the bowl down with a spatula to make sure that all of the dough is fully mixed in. This process of adding the butter takes a good 10 minutes on the machine. The mixture will go from a stiff ball of stretchy hopelessness to something silky and smooth once all the butter is incorporated.

Once all the butter has been added keep mixing it until the dough no longer sticks to the side of the mixing bowl.

If you are doing this by hand the dough will look like a big runny sticky mess initially and keep sticking badly to the work surface. Just keep pulling the dough up and then pushing it down and scraping it off the work surface so you are continuously stretching and moving it. Eventually the dough will become less sticky, more elastic and begin to be a little easier to handle. It is tempting to throw in more flour so that it is less sticky, but doing this will change the brioche recipe altogether and make it more like regular bread. This may take up to 20–25 minutes or more. The dough will still be very soft at this stage.

Once the dough is ready, divide it into a third and two-thirds. Take the larger piece and divide it into 12 equal pieces. With well-floured hands take one of the pieces and make a ball with it, push it down into the mould or tin, then with a floured finger make a big hole in the middle. Repeat with the rest of this piece of dough. Then take the smaller third piece and break it into 12 portions. Roll each one into a bullet shape so it has a round ball at the top and a long pointed end. Push the pointed end into the hole all the way down so only the top third of the bullet is showing. Repeat with the rest of the dough. Alternatively, if by this stage you have had enough of your brioche, which, believe me, can happen, you can freeze it for up to a month by wrapping in clingfilm or putting it into a freezerproof bag and come back to it another day once it is defrosted and you are ready to conquer it again.

Oil the top of the bread and cover loosely with clingfilm, making sure it is airtight. Leave in a warm place until the dough has almost doubled in size, about 2–3 hours (this takes longer than other breads due to the high fat content).

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas Mark 6.

Once risen, remove the clingfilm and brush the dough well with the lightly beaten egg. Place in the top half of the oven, making sure there is room for the brioche to rise, and bake for about 35 minutes, or until the brioche is a rich golden brown and comes out of the moulds or tin easily. Take a peek after about 20 minutes of cooking. If you feel that the top is getting too dark, just cover the brioche with some baking paper to give the centre a chance to cook without any further browning to the surface. Remove the brioche from the oven and leave to cool in the tin.

Brioche has many uses. It makes an enticing breakfast bread, especially when spread with butter and served warm. Sliced, it can be served with foie gras and a rich chutney. For an extra special pud, make a large brioche and use it to make a bread and butter pudding.

Spiced fruit

Tea Loaf

A traditional English tea bread, spiked with spices and dried fruit. Makes 1 small loaf

Vegetable oil or oil spray, for oiling

180g (6½oz) strong white bread flour

180g (6½oz) plain flour, plus extra for dusting

1 tbsp ground ginger

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

1 x 7g sachet of fast-action dried yeast

1 tbsp soft light brown sugar

1 tsp salt

Grated zest of 1 lemon

1 egg, plus 1 egg, lightly beaten, for glazing

1 tbsp treacle

150ml (5fl oz) warm water

80g (3oz) sultanas

60g (2½oz) dates, chopped

Equipment

22 x 10cm (8¾ x 4in) loaf tin

Oil and line the loaf tin with baking paper.

Put the flours, ginger, cinnamon, yeast, sugar, salt and lemon zest in a medium bowl. Make a hole in the centre and pour in the egg, treacle and warm water. Mix to a soft dough, then transfer to a floured work surface and knead the dough for 10 minutes by hand or for 5 minutes in an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. This dough is quite wet, which makes for a lighter loaf but can be tricky to knead initially. The more it is kneaded the less sticky it will get. Try not to add any more flour.

Once the dough is kneaded, plop it back in a bowl (if you are doing it by hand), or if using a machine remove the bowl (with the bread still in it) from the machine. Add the sultanas and dates. Knead the bread in the bowl for 1 minute to make sure all the fruit is evenly distributed. Then shape into a ball and plop it into the prepared loaf tin.

Squish the bread down at the corners slightly and then cover loosely with clingfilm, making sure it is airtight. Leave in a warm place until the bread has almost doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas Mark 6.

Once the dough is well risen, brush with the beaten egg and bake in the oven for 30–40 minutes, or until golden brown and well risen. Using oven gloves, remove the bread from the tin and check that the underside is also cooked, it should sound hollow when tapped. If not, pop the loaf back in the oven without the tin for another 5 minutes.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or cold at 4pm with jam and tea.

Almond, honey & orange

Kugelhopf

Kugelhopf, Gougelhopf and Gugelhupf are a few of the many spelling variations of this recipe from Alsace in eastern France. A cakelike bread, it is traditionally served as part of a Sunday breakfast feast, but is also wonderful eaten in the evening with a glass of ambrosial wine. Makes 1 loaf

Vegetable oil, for oiling

450g (16oz) strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting

110g (4oz) dried apricots, finely chopped (easiest to cut with scissors)

250ml (9fl oz or 1 wine glass) builder’s tea or orange liqueur

100g (3½oz) ground almonds

1½ sachets of fast-action dried yeast (about 10g/1/3oz)

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp salt

2 tbsp soft light brown sugar

Grated zest of 2 large oranges

180ml (6½fl oz) warm milk

3 eggs, beaten

160g (5½oz) butter, melted

2 big squidges of honey Handful of whole skinless almonds

Icing sugar, for sprinkling

Equipment

Large kugelhopf mould

Oil the kugelhopf mould, then dust with flour and set aside.

Put the apricots in a bowl, add the tea or orange liqueur and leave to stand for 30 minutes. Put the flour in another large bowl with the ground almonds, yeast, cinnamon, salt, sugar and orange zest. In a third bowl, mix together the milk, eggs, butter and honey.

Add enough of the butter mix to the flour mixture to make a soft dough. The dough will be softer than most other doughs but it should not be too sticky. Knead the dough for 10 minutes by hand on a lightly floured work surface or for 5 minutes in an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, then set aside.

Drain the apricots and add them to the dough. Fold the dough over itself 3–4 times until the apricots are evenly dispersed throughout the dough.

Place an almond into each ‘dip’ of the kugelhopf mould, then carefully make a hole in the middle of the dough and squish it gently into the prepared mould. Cover the top loosely with oiled clingfilm, making sure it is airtight. Leave in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size. This will take about 1 hour or so, depending on the warmth of the room.

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas Mark 6.

Bake the kugelhopf in the oven for about 35 minutes, or until it is golden brown and comes out of the mould easily. Remove the bread from the mould, place on a baking tray and pop back into the oven for 5–10 minutes to brown up the base.

Remove the bread from the oven and leave to cool. Once cooled right down, sprinkle the top with icing sugar and serve.

Coffee & maple

Panettone

Panettone is an Italian bread usually made with fruit peel and traditionally eaten at Christmas. I wanted to make something a little away from the norm, so I came up with this tasty gem which uses a different mix of flavours. Makes 1 large panettone

560g (1¼lb) strong white bread flour

½ tsp salt

1½ sachets of fast-action dried yeast (about 10g/1/3oz)

200ml (7fl oz) warm milk

3 eggs

2 egg yolks

Seeds of 1 vanilla pod or 2 drops of vanilla extract

100ml (4fl oz) maple syrup, plus extra for drizzling

4 tbsp coffee essence or

1 tbsp coffee powder diluted in the milk mentioned above

200g (7oz) butter, melted

Eggwash

1 egg

1 tbsp milk

Equipment

18cm (7in) deep loose-bottomed cake tin

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas Mark 6. Line the sides of the cake tin with baking paper, so it sticks up a good 10cm (4in) above the top of the tin.

Put flour, salt, yeast, milk, eggs, yolks, vanilla, maple syrup, coffee and butter in a large bowl and stir well to combine. Keep mixing the dough for 10 minutes by hand (it is usually too sticky for the hand at first so use a wooden spoon and keep mixing), or for 5 minutes if using an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. The dough will be very very sticky, almost like a cake batter. This is what gives the panettone its wonderful spongy texture.

Tip the dough into the prepared cake tin and lay a tea towel gently over the top. Leave in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until the mixture has almost risen to the top of the tin.

For the eggwash, mix the egg and milk together in a bowl. Once the dough has almost doubled in size, brush the top of the panettone with the eggwash, then make a cross in the top with a very sharp knife. Bake in the oven for 45–50 minutes, or until the bread is well risen, lifts out of the tin easily and a skewer inserted into the thickest part comes out clean.

Remove the panettone from the oven, drizzle with maple syrup and use a brush to spread it evenly over the bread. This gives the loaf a shiny top and adds extra maple flavour. Leave the panettone to cool in the tin.

Variation The coffee can be omitted and replaced with 400g (14oz) mixed dried fruit and peel soaked in orange juice or rum. This turns it into a more traditional panettone.

Focaccia Bread

Great for sharing, and made even better with the use of a really fine extra-virgin olive oil. I keep a good bottle of extra-virgin on the top shelf of a cupboard, away from prying hands who may want to use the oil for frying eggs or other unworthy cooking tasks. On special occasions, such as making focaccia, the imperial bottle of oil makes a rare appearance. Makes 1 large flat loaf

500g (1lb 2oz) strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting

2 tsp salt

1 x 7g sachet of fast-action dried yeast

80ml (3fl oz) olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

150–250ml (5–9fl oz) warm water

Vegetable oil or oil spray, for oiling

1 bunch of fresh rosemary

Large pinch of sea salt

Dust a large flat baking tray with flour.

Put the flour in a large bowl, add the salt and yeast, then add the olive oil plus enough warm water to make a soft but not sticky dough. The dough should feel quite loose and not tight and difficult to knead. If the whole amount is added it may appear that the dough is beyond repair, but gently kneading by way of scooping up the dough, scraping any sticky bits on the surface and slapping it back down again for a few minutes will see the dough begin to become ‘pillowy’ and more manageable. The more water that can be added (the full 250ml/9fl oz is great) then the lighter the bread will be. But it can take some perseverance. Also resist the temptation to add more flour as it will make the dough too heavy.

Knead the dough for about 10 minutes by hand on a lightly floured work surface or for 5 minutes if using an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. The dough will feel stretchy when pulled. To test if it is ready, make a ball with the dough then, using a well-floured finger, prod a shallow indent in the side (no more than ¾cm/¼in). If the indent disappears by way of the dough springing back then it is ready to shape. If the indent stays, knead for a few minutes longer.

Shape the dough into an oval and place it on the prepared baking tray. Flatten it out to about 30cm (12in) long and 20cm (8in) wide. Cover the dough loosely with oiled clingfilm, making sure it is airtight.

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas Mark 6.

Leave the dough in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until it has almost doubled in size. With a floured index finger press holes in the dough at regular intervals, about 4cm (1½in) apart in rows across the dough, pressing right down to the bottom. Take 3cm (1¼in) long sprigs of the rosemary and push them into the holes. Sprinkle some sea salt over the dough and place in the top third of the oven. Bake for about 25–30 minutes, or until the bread is well risen, light golden brown and feels hollow when tapped underneath.

Remove from the oven, drizzle with the remaining olive oil and leave to cool on the baking tray. This is totally awesome when served warm as a starter or indeed as a meal in itself with fresh tomatoes, artichokes and cold meats, or with a steaming hot bowl of soup.

Stout & Stilton

Bread Rolls

A bloke’s bread. Malty stout loaves with strong, masculine Stilton. Lovely. Makes 10 rolls

370g (13oz) strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting

200g (7oz) wholemeal flour

Handful of fresh thyme leaves

1 tsp salt

1 x 7g sachet of fast-action dried yeast

200ml (7fl oz) stout (or apple juice), at room temperature 120–180ml (4–6fl oz) warm water

Vegetable oil or oil spray, for oiling

200g (7oz) Stilton, crumbled

Dust a large, flat baking tray with flour.

In a large bowl, mix the flours, thyme, salt and yeast together. Pour in the beer (or apple juice) and enough of the water to make a sticky dough. Stir everything together, then knead until smooth and elastic – about 10 minutes by hand on a lightly floured work surface or 5 minutes in an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook.

Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces. I weigh each piece to ensure everything is equal! Mine weigh 97g (3½oz) each (I use the full amount of water to make the dough). Shape each piece into an oval rugby-ball shape and place on the prepared baking tray, spaced about 8cm (3in) apart. Cover with oiled clingfilm, making sure it is airtight. Leave in a warm place until the rolls have doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas Mark 6.

Remove the clingfilm from the rolls and take a razor or extremely sharp knife, preferably serrated. Carefully slice each roll along its length to a depth of two-thirds of the bread. Spread the cut open quite a bit with your fingers, as when the bread bakes it will try to close up. Repeat with all the rolls. Crumble the Stilton into the slits, pull the bread around the cheese to prevent it spilling out in the oven, then bake for about 20 minutes, or until the rolls feel firm and sound hollow when tapped underneath. Remove the rolls from the oven and serve warm with a chutney or relish.

Big fat salt & pepper

Breadsticks

The best way to serve these breadsticks is with dips, such as hummus, taramasalata and guacamole. Mini sticks can be fun as canapés for a dinner party, or vary the toppings with fresh rosemary and thyme, or sesame and poppy seeds. Makes 12

450g (1lb) strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting

1 x 7g sachet of fast-action dried yeast

1½ tsp salt

250–275ml (9–10fl oz) warm water

Vegetable oil or spray oil, for oiling

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 tbsp sea salt

2 tbsp freshly ground black pepper

Dust two large baking trays with flour.

Put the flour, yeast and the 1½ teaspoons of salt into a large bowl and add enough of the water to make a soft but not sticky dough. Knead well for 10 minutes by hand on a lightly floured work surface or for 5 minutes if using an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook.

Divide the mixture into 12 equal portions, each weighing about 60g (2½oz). Roll them into balls, then place each ball on a floured surface and roll into a long sausage shape about 25 x 2cm (10 x 1in). For the best visual results make the sausage shape an even thickness.

I like to shape half of them into twists. Run a knife down the centre to split the dough, leaving a bit at the bottom uncut. Braid or plait the two halves over each other to give a twisted effect.

Place the breadsticks on the prepared baking trays, spacing them 4cm (1½in) apart.

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas Mark 6.

Cover the breadsticks loosely with oiled clingfilm, making sure it is airtight. Leave in warm place for 30 minutes, or until the breadsticks have almost doubled in size.

Remove the clingfilm and brush each breadstick with the extra-virgin olive oil. Sprinkle half the breadsticks with the sea salt and the remainder with the freshly ground black pepper. Bake on the top third of the oven for about 20 minutes, or until the breadsticks are lightly golden and feel firm to the touch. Remove the breadsticks from the oven and leave to cool on the baking trays.

Chorizo & thyme

Fougasse

Chorizo and thyme make a powerful flavour combination. Buy the big, thick chorizo sausage (either ready-to-eat or to be cooked), rather than slices, and cut into chunky pieces. A vegetarian in the house? Substitute the chorizo for a couple of handfuls of sun-dried tomatoes and sprinkle the top of the bread with some Parmesan cheese. Serves 6

500g (1lb 2oz) strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting

2 tsp salt

2 tsp fast-action dried yeast

250–300ml (9–11fl oz) water

Leaves of 4 sprigs of fresh thyme

50g (2oz) ready-to-eat chorizo sausage, very finely chopped

Vegetable oil, for oiling

3 tbsp milk, for brushing

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas Mark 6. Dust a large baking tray with flour.

Put the flour, salt and yeast in a large bowl and mix together to combine. Make a large hole in the centre of the flour mix, then pour in the water, just enough to make a dough which is loose and easy to knead, but not too sticky. If it feels tight like Blue-tack then add more water. As you knead it, the dough will become less sticky, so if you can add all the 300ml (11fl oz) your loaf will be much lighter with a lovely open texture.

Knead the dough for 10 minutes by hand on a lightly floured work surface or for 5 minutes in an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the thyme and knead for a further 30 seconds, or until it is well combined. Put half the chorizo in the middle of the dough and then fold the edge around it to cover and knead it for an extra minute.

On a floured surface, shape the fougasse into a ball making sure the top of the ball is taught and smooth. Using a rolling pin, roll it out into a rough oval shape. Using a very sharp knife, or razor blade, carefully cut slashes in the loaf to look like a fern leaf, then with floured hands open up the slashes wide, as they will close up a lot when the bread is left to double in size.

Push the remaining chorizo into the top of the dough, then cover the dough loosely with oiled clingfilm (you may need several pieces). Leave to rise in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size.

Remove the clingfilm, brush the dough with milk and place in the oven. Throw a couple of handfuls of ice cubes in the bottom of the oven or spray the oven with water before closing. This will keep a crust from forming too quickly on the bread, which would prevent the bread from rising nicely. Alternatively, put a roasting tin with water in the bottom of the oven instead.

Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the bread is well risen, a beautiful golden brown and smells wonderfully cooked. It will come off the tray once fully cooked too.

It is tough to top the taste of warm bread straight from the oven, slathered in oodles of good butter.

White Loaf

The process of making bread by hand is so rewarding. There is something therapeutic about kneading then shaping the loaf and leaving it in a warm place to grow. I confess I had a bread machine for a while, but I missed the comforting steps of the bread-making process, so I sold it online! This loaf has a soft crust and a perfectly pillowy centre. Angelic. Makes 1 loaf, two 23 x 12cm (9 x 4¾in) loaves or 12 rolls

560g (1¼lb) strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting

1 tsp salt

1 x 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast

380ml (13fl oz) warm milk

1 squidge of honey

Vegetable oil or oil spray, for oiling

1 egg, lightly beaten, for glazing

Equipment

Two 23 x 12cm (9 x 4¾in) loaf tins or 1–2 large baking trays

Put the flour, salt and yeast in a large bowl. Make a hole in the centre and pour in the milk and honey. Mix well to combine, then knead for 10 minutes by hand on a lightly floured work surface or for 5 minutes in an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. The dough may seem quite damp, but don’t be tempted to add more flour, as the wetter the dough the lighter the loaf! Just keep kneading and it will become less sticky.

If using loaf tins, divide the dough into 2 balls, smooth the tops and plop each one into a tin. Squish the dough down at the corners slightly and cover loosely with oiled clingfilm, making sure it is airtight.

If you are doing a free-form loaf or dinner rolls, dust the baking tray(s) with flour. Shape the dough into a ball on a floured work surface or divide into 12 rolls, then put on the baking tray(s) and cover loosely with clingfilm, making sure it’s airtight. Keeping the dough airtight encourages it to rise, but leaving the clingfilm loose gives the bread room to grow.

Leave to rise in a warm place until the dough has almost doubled in size.

Once the dough is well risen, carefully slash the top(s) with a sharp, serrated knife and preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas Mark 6. Brush the dough with the beaten egg and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and well risen. Using oven gloves, remove the loaves from the tins and check the undersides are cooked and the bases sound hollow when tapped. If still a little pale, place the bread back in the oven without the tins for 5–10 minutes.

Once cooked, leave the bread to cool on a wire rack. Serve with a good butter and our favourite yeasted spread!

Soda Bread

Perhaps the easiest bread to make by hand, with little kneading and no waiting around for it to rise. Treacle gives it an earthy taste, darkens the crumb and crisps up the crust. This recipe calls for buttermilk, available from bigger supermarkets; a homemade version can be made by putting lemon juice in regular milk and letting it sit for a few minutes. Makes 1 loaf

370g (13oz) plain flour, plus extra for dusting

130g (4½oz) wholemeal flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp salt

40g (1½oz) butter, melted

1 tbsp treacle

300–340ml (11–12fl oz) buttermilk, or warm milk plus 1 tbsp lemon juice (see intro)

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas Mark 6 and put the top shelf in position.

Place the flours, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large bowl and stir together. Make a large hole in the centre of the flour mixture and pour in the melted butter and treacle plus enough of the buttermilk to make a loose sticky dough. The best way with treacle is to run the tablespoon under a really hot tap for 10 seconds before dipping it into the treacle. This ensures the treacle runs easily off the spoon and into the dough.

Tip the dough on to a lightly dusted work surface. The dough will be quite sticky. Knead the dough for 1 minute, then shape it into a large ball with a taut, smooth top. Place the dough on a baking tray and flatten it a bit. I find the easiest way to do this is with a rolling pin. Take a wooden spoon, put some flour over the whole handle then hold it horizontally over the bread. Put the wooden spoon handle on top of the bread then push it down until you feel the baking tray at the bottom. This mark is the first half of the trademark soda bread cross. Repeat with a line at right angles to this. Dust with some flour then bake in the oven for 30–40 minutes, or until the bread is brown, has risen nicely and the dough inside where the cross was made is not damp.

Serve fresh from the oven with butter and jam. This bread does not keep well so is best eaten on the day that it is baked – but if you have any left, it does make good toast.

Doris Grant

Loaf

A ‘No-need-to-knead bread’, adapted from a 1940s recipe by healthy-eating evangelist Doris Grant, who believed white flour – and its lack of nutrients – was the enemy. Making bread one day, Doris forgot to knead it. On tasting the loaf, she discovered it had a very fair taste and decided never again to bother kneading her bread. The resulting loaf is heavy but quicker to make than other types of bread. Makes 1 small loaf

225g (8oz) strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting

225g (8oz) strong wholemeal flour

1 tsp salt

1 x 7g sachet of fast-action dried yeast

1 tbsp honey

300ml (11fl oz) warm water

Vegetable oil or oil spray, for oiling

A little milk, for brushing

Dust a medium baking tray with flour.

Sift the flours into a large bowl and reserve the grain – the brown bits that are too big to fit through the sieve. Add the salt and yeast, then make a big hole in the centre and pour in the honey and water. Mix well to form a smooth dough, working it gently with your hands if necessary. If the dough feels a bit stiff, add an extra 2 tablespoons of water. Shape into a ball and place on the prepared baking tray. Make sure the top is smooth and wrinkle-free. Cover the dough loosely with oiled clingfilm, making sure it is airtight, and leave to rise in a warm place for a good hour, or until it has almost doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas Mark 6. Remove the clingfilm from the dough and make a few slashes in the top with a sharp knife – I use a sharp serrated knife and saw gently. Brush the loaf with milk, sprinkle with the reserved grain, then place in the oven. Throw about 10 ice cubes into the bottom of the oven – they will produce steam, which keeps the crust from hardening too quickly. (A quickly hardened crust prevents the bread from rising well.) Bake the bread for 30–40 minutes, or until it has risen, sounds hollow when tapped underneath and comes easily off the baking tray. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on the tray. Eat as soon as it is cool enough.

Serve fresh from the oven with loads of butter. These loaves do not keep well. However, if the whole lot does not disappear in one sitting, slice up the remainder and put it in the freezer. When ready to eat, pull out a slice and pop it in the toaster. Breakfasts for the next few days…? Sorted.

Pumpkin & rosemary

Muffins

I wrote this in November, when pumpkins had been whisked away for Halloween, so I had to substitute a butternut squash. To cook a small amount of pumpkin, dice into cubes and place in a pan with just enough water to cover. Bring to the boil, lower the heat and pop on a lid, slightly askew. Boil/steam for 5–10 minutes and top up with water if needed. Drain and use. These muffins don’t rise loads but they have a flavoursome, moist crumb. Makes 12 muffins

Vegetable oil or oil spray, for oiling

180g (6½oz) self-raising flour

130g (4½oz) wholemeal flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

Good pinch of salt

3 sprigs of fresh rosemary, very finely chopped

240g (8½oz) cooked pumpkin (about 1 small wedge), cut into 0.5cm

(¼in) dice. Ready-cubed, uncooked squash is available in the supermarket

2 eggs, lightly beaten

100ml (4fl oz) plain yogurt

275ml (10fl oz) milk

3 big squidges of honey

60ml (2½fl oz) vegetable oil

Handful of pumpkin seeds

Equipment

12-hole muffin tin

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas Mark 6.

Cut out 12 squares of baking paper measuring about 14 x 14cm (5½in). Oil the muffin tin and push the squares down into each hole so the paper sticks up just like the muffins you can buy in the coffee shop. The squares have a habit of popping up out of the holes, which is OK for now as once the muffin mix is spooned inside the squares will stay down. Alternatively, use ready-made paper muffin cases.

In a large bowl, sift the flours, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda, stir in the salt and rosemary. If there is any wholegrain left in the sieve from the wholemeal flour, keep this for the topping.

In a medium bowl, put the rest of the ingredients, apart from a third of the pumpkin, and stir well so all the liquid is well combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and, using a large spoon and no more than 8 turns, mix all the ingredients together. It does not take much to over-mix muffins at this stage and although the end result will still taste sublime the texture will not be as tender. Leave the mixture to stand for 5 minutes, then spoon the mixture into the paper cases.

Sprinkle the wholegrain, reserved pumpkin and the pumpkin seeds over the muffins. Bake in the centre of the oven for 20–25 minutes, or until the muffins are well risen and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Good for breakfast, good for lunch and good for just about any time of the day for a snack. For canapés these can made in mini muffin cases as mouthful morsels of scrumbunctiousness.