Tag Archives: bread

six seed soda bread

27 Friday Apr 2012

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I have been looking for an intense seedy bread and found this one recently at Heidi Swanson’s wonderful blog, 101 Cookbooks. She adapted this recipe from ‘River Cottage Everyday’ by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and I have quoted her recipe verbatim. Normally I am not a big fan of soda bread but this one was yummy, dense and chewy… just the way I like my bread! I will try substituting the all-purpose wheat flour with other flours and let you know if I find a winning combination. Also, I made two smaller loaves instead of one large one so my baking time was reduced. A keeper, for sure!

Six-Seed Soda Bread

2-½ tablespoon each of sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, poppy seeds and flax seeds.

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1-3/4 cup spelt flour

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

1-3/4 cup buttermilk

a bit of extra buttermilk or milk

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Place a rack in the center of the oven. In a small bowl combine all the seeds and set aside.

Sift the flours, baking soda and salt into a large mixing bowl. Stir in all but 2 tablespoons of the seeds. Make a well in the flour, pour in the buttermilk and stir until the dough just comes together. If you need to add an extra splash of buttermilk because the dough is too dry, you can. As Hugh says, “Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead lightly for about a minute, just long enough to pull it together into a loose ball but no longer- you need to get into in the oven while the baking is still doing its stuff.”

Place the dough on a lightly floured baking sheet and mark it with a deep cross across the top, cutting two-thirds of the way through the loaf with a serrated knife. Brush with buttermilk and sprinkle with the remaining seeds, making sure that plenty of seeds make it down into the cracks. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the bread is golden crusted on top and bottom (you may want to move the oven rack up for the last 15 minutes if you need more color on the top of the loaf.) Cool on a wire rack.

Makes a single loaf.

adventures with whole grains: French bread using spelt flour

22 Sunday Apr 2012

Posted by in cook, whole grains

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I took another one of my ‘tried and true recipes’: French Bread and wondered what would happen if I substituted freshly milled spelt flour for the all-purpose white flour? I found that the bread did not rise quite as high, making for a bit of a heavier bread (which I prefer) and the flavor was wonderful! In the future, if I need a lighter bread, I can try blending the spelt with other lighter flours. I’ll keep you informed on my continuing experiments and explorations with whole grains!

French Bread with Spelt Flour

1 oz (or 1 tablespoon) dry active yeast

1 cup warm water

1 tablespoon honey (or natural sweetener of your choice)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups organic spelt flour

1 egg white, beaten (to glaze the loaves)

Place yeast and water in a large mixing bowl and allow to sit for about 5 minutes. If yeast has begun to bubble or foam a little, add the honey, olive oil and salt and mix together. (If yeast isn’t bubbling, discard as this means that your yeast is dead and your bread will not rise.)

Add 2 cups of the spelt flour, mixing in with a wooden spoon until the dough is smooth. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes, incorporating as much of the remaining 1 cup of flour as needed for a smooth, elastic dough.

Place dough into a large, oiled bowl. Cover with a damp tea towel and allow to sit in a warm place for an hour and a half (or for one hour in the oven on the ‘proof’ setting).

Punch down dough. Cut in half. Roll out each half on a floured surface to about 1/4-inch thick, then roll up the dough into a long loaf. Make three diagonal cuts in the top of the loaf and place on a baguette or loaf pan. Repeat with the other half of the dough.

Place loaf pan(s) in a warm place to rise for about an hour or until double in size. Brush beaten egg white over the loaf just before baking.

Bake in a 375 degree (F) oven for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Enjoy!

milling flour at home… my new favorite thing!

10 Tuesday Apr 2012

Posted by in buy local, cook, handmade

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I have been wanting to mill my own flour for 20 years! It began when I lived up in Inuvik, NT and tasted my friend/employer, Judy’s freshly baked whole wheat buns. She made her bread with flour that she had milled just minutes before making the dough and they were the tastiest little breads with a lovely texture and a bit of a nutty flavor.

Finally just last week, after 20 years of thinking about it, planning for ‘someday’… we bought a WonderMill. It was my visit with my wonderful sister-in-law Laurie last month that set things in motion. She demonstrated using her NutriMill and I got to see how quick and easy it is to mill flour from spelt. Then I got to taste Laurie’s spelt buns, spelt pie crust (pumpkin pie, yum!), breakfast cookies, spelt tortillas and spelt pancakes– all of which were delicious!

Inspired (and craving more spelt bread!) we did a bit of research and decided on the WonderMill (pictured above). We wanted to support a local Alberta business and found a place in Cochrane, Alberta called Briden Solutions that carried both the mill and the grains we wanted. (By the way, Briden specializes in ’emergency preparedness’ and carry an extensive range of home and kitchen products including water filtration, oils, beans, whole grains, many of which are organic. They also have an informative blog called Briden’s Guide to Preparedness which features in-depth articles on their products and tips for being prepared for unexpected events.)

Through Briden, we also bought 50 lb bags of organic red heard spring wheat and organic spelt (great for breads), both from Grainworks, a certified organic farm. (Grainworks was first homesteaded on Alberta land in 1912 before moving to Saskatchewan in 1939. They have been certified organic since 1988.)

You can also cook these ‘wheat berries’ and then add them to soups and salads as an alternative to quinoa, orzo, barley or millet.

The grains take only about a minute to mill (longer if you’re milling a larger batch).

Here is the beautiful, fragrant red wheat flour ready for baking! We made a whole wheat bread with this batch.

Here is the organic spelt…

Like the wheat, you can cook the ‘berries’ and add to soups and salads.  You can also sprout these grains and make sprouted grain breads (both with or without flour). I will be trying this soon and will post the recipe.

Here is the lovely freshly milled spelt flour. We made homemade fettucini with this batch. (I will post that recipe tomorrow.)

With more people choosing to live healthier lifestyles or in response to developing allergies or an intolerance to “commercial wheat”, as in the overly processed, hybrid wheat and products made from this wheat (very difficult to digest), ancient grain and whole grain flours have become a more popular choice. It is no surprise that they make a much flavorful food source. Artisan breads made from ancient and whole grains can be found in most bakeries and for those of us whole enjoy baking it ourselves, freshly milled flours can be found at health food stores, gourmet food stores and local farmer’s markets (i.e. through Gold Forest Grains at the Strathcona Farmer’s Market in Edmonton and coming soon to the Kingsland Farmers Market in Calgary and the Grand Prairie’s Farmers Market).

I look forward to learning more about ancient grains and whole grain flours and experimenting with these flours in the kitchen here at cabinorganic. I look forward to supporting local farmers and sustainable farming practices. I look forward to learning more about the nutritional benefits in milling my own flours and sharing my flours and breads with friends and neighbors. Mostly, I simply look forward to the delicious taste and smell of fresh, home-baked breads that are highly nutritious as well as delicious!

P.S. By the way, I am sure Judy is still baking her famous bread! If you’re ever planning a visit to Inuvik, Northwest Territories, consider staying at the Arctic Chalet. Book a tour with Judy and Olav, go for a ride over the tundra with Judy and her dog teams in winter or go canoeing or kayaking in the summer and enjoy the high Arctic in style!

honey raison bread

17 Saturday Mar 2012

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This delicious bread is low in fat and goes well when served with breakfast served with fresh fruit. The high yogurt content give the bread its light, white center. Serve your homemade jams and jellies with this tasty bread!

Raison and Honey Bread

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 ¾ cups plain yogurt

2 egg whites

½ cup raisons

1 tablespoons honey

butter for greasing the pan

Preheat oven to 425 degree (F). Mix together the egg whites and yogurt. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the honey and raisons.

Grease a loaf pan and place batter in pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly before turning out of the pan. Serve warm. Enjoy!

Resource:

Donovan, J. (1999). Essentials Egg: Exploit the Versatility, Aroma and Taste. Toronto, ON: Macmillan, Canada.

focaccia with fresh herbs

24 Friday Feb 2012

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Focaccia is wonderful on its own, served with your finest aged balsamic vinegar and a fruity extra-virgin olive oil for dipping. It also makes a very flavorful sandwich bread- great for picnics, hikes and road trips!

Focaccia with Fresh Herbs

1 package (or 1 tablespoon) of active dry yeast

1 teaspoon organic sugar or honey

5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading

¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon fine chopped fresh rosemary or thyme

1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

In a large bowl, place yeast, 1-2/3 cups of warm water and honey. Mix together and let stand for about 5 minutes (mixture should start to look creamy). Add olive oil and flour, a cup at a time until a soft dough forms. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 8 minutes, adding more flour when needed. Transfer to a large  oiled bowl and cover with a damp tea towel. Place in a warm place and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 to 1-1/2 hours.

Punch down dough. Divide into two equal pieces and roll each piece on a floured surface into desired shape (round, oval, rectangular). Sprinkle the fresh herbs onto the dough (save about 1 tablespoon for the top) and fold over to incorporate. Note, today I used thyme on one loaf and rosemary on the other for variety. Place on an oiled baking sheet (or lined with parchment paper) and cover with a damp tea towel. Allow dough to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees (F). Make shallow indentations with your fingertips all over the dough, then brush with olive oil and sprinkle the last of the fresh herbs and the sea salt over top. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack before serving. Enjoy!

winter squash bread

07 Tuesday Feb 2012

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I tried a new bread recipe last night and would love to share it with you. Perfect for the winter season, this is an ‘egg-y’ bread that is slightly sweet and calls for the addition of winter squash. This flavorful bread is excellent for sandwiches or simply on its own with a bit of butter…

Winter Squash Bread

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

1/4 cup brown sugar

1-1/2 cups warm water

2 eggs

1 cup winter squash or pumpkin puree (roasted, then pureed)

1 tablespoon salt

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

5-6 cups organic unbleached flour

Place yeast, a pinch of the brown sugar and the water in a large bowl and let stand for 10 minutes. (Yeast should start to become foamy.) Using a whisk, beat the eggs and squash puree into the yeast mixture. Add the remaining brown sugar, salt, cornmeal and 2 cups of the flour. Using a wooden spoon, continue adding flour, 1/2 cup at a time and mix until a soft dough is formed.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes, adding more flour as kneaded to prevent the dough from sticking, to create a smooth and elastic dough. Grease a large bowl and add the dough, turning to coat. Cover with a clean, damp tea towel and let the dough rise in a warm place (or in your oven at the ‘proff’ setting) until doubled, 1 to 1-1/2 hours.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees (F). Lightly grease a baking sheet or line with parchment. Sprinkle baking sheet with cornmeal. Punch down dough and turn onto a lightly floured surface. Form the dough into 2 large loaves, or 4 baguettes, or individual rolls. Cover the loaves loosely with plastic wrap (that has been greased) and let rise until doubled, 30 minutes to 1 hour. Dust the tops of the loaves with flour.

Place in oven, immediately reduce the temperature to 375 degrees (F). Bake for 35-45 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and let cool on a wire rack before serving. Enjoy!

Resource:

Ash, J., & Goldstein, S. (1995). From Earth to the Table: John Ash’s Wine COuntry Cuisine.  New York: Penguin Books.

cheese scones

16 Friday Dec 2011

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I find it hard to find a good scone nowadays as they truly are best when fresh out of the oven. The ones served in cafes are often dry and flavorless so I prefer to bake my own. This is the recipe I’ve been using for years and I always make the scones within an hour of serving them so that they are warm and crisp. Using high quality organic butter and the best cheddar (i.e. Cloverleaf) you can find definitely makes this a scone experience to be remembered! Sometimes I add some chopped rosemary ham (I’ve only found it at Save-On-Foods so far) which adds a hint of rosemary to the scone.

Cheese Scones

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablepsoon baking poweder

2 teaspoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

3 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces

3/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated

3/4 cup buttermilk

2 large egg whites

Optional: 3/4 cup finely chopped ham

Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F).

Lightly mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Cut the butter in using pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in cheese (and ham if adding).

Combine buttermilk and eggs whites, stirring with a whisk. Add this to the flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead 4 or 5 times with floured hands (dough will be quite sticky).

Pat dough into an 8-inch circle on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cut into wedges and serve warm.

multigrain cereal bread

30 Wednesday Nov 2011

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I have been looking for a dark, dense, chewy, grainy, nutty bread for years and I think I have found a winner! This afternoon the whole cabin smelled wonderful while these were baking- almost like candy, probably due to the molasses. As I eat Red River cereal almost every morning, I usually have it on hand in the pantry. These are great with butter and raspberry jam.

Multigrain Cereal Bread

2- ½ cups milk

1 cup wheat germ

1 cup Sunny Boy or Red River cereal

2 tablespoons instant yeast

3 cups whole-wheat flour

½ cup molasses

½ cup canola oil

½ cup unsalted sunflower or sesame seeds

1-½ cups warm water

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons brown sugar

5 cups all-purpose flour

Heat milk in a saucepan over medium heat until bubbles begin to appear around the edges. Remove from heat. Pour scalded milk over the wheat germ and cereal in a large mixing bowl to soften. Set aside to cool until just warm.

In another large bowl, mix yeast with 2 cups of whole-wheat flour. Stir in cooled cereal mixture, molasses, canola oil, sunflower or sesame seeds, warm water, salt, and brown sugar. Beat in remaining whole wheat four until it forms a soft but sticky dough.

Turn out onto a floured surface, let rest for 5 minutes, then begin kneading. Add all-purpose flour until dough is smooth and silky, but be cautious and add flour slowly. The bran in the mixture can suddenly absorb liquid and you may be left with a dough that is too dry. (Note: you probably will not need to add the entire amount of all-purpose flour. Be sure to stop adding when the dough is the right consistency.)

Form three large loaves and let rise in greased bread pans, covered, until doubled, about 45 minutes. Bake in a preheated 375 degrees (F) oven for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees (F) and bake 20-25 minutes longer. Makes 3 loaves.

 

Another great recipe from my High Plains: The Joy of Alberta Cuisine by Cinda Chavich.


herb & cheese bread

12 Wednesday Oct 2011

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Enjoy the last of your summer herbs in this scrumptious cheesy bread. Excellent served with soup, or made into giant croutons for salads, or enjoyed as a baguette in a hearty sandwich.

Herb & Cheese Bread

1 package (or 1 tablespoon) active dry yeast

1 cup warm water

3 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

¼ cup mixed fresh herbs, such as basil, chives, thyme and tarragon.

¾ cup coarsely grated cheese, such as Asiago, Gruyere or fontina

cornmeal

1 large egg beaten together with 1 tablespoon water

Place yeast and water in a large bowl. Allow to sit for about 10 minutes, or until bubbly. Add salt, pepper, olive oil, herbs and cheese and mix thoroughly. Add flour, a cup at a time. Depending on the humidity, more or less flour may be needed.

Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead to about 10 minutes, or until the dough is satiny and smooth. Place dough in a large clean bowl that has been oiled. Cover with a damp towel and let the dough rise in a warm spot for about an hour and a half.

Punch down dough and shape into loaves or rolls. Place on greased pan that has been lightly sprinkled with cornmeal. Place in warm spot and let dough rise for another hour, or until doubled.

Carefully paint top of loaves with egg wash and bake in lower rack in oven for 25 minutes or until loaves are golden brown. Place loaves on cooling rack and wait until fully cool before slicing.

Enjoy!

Delicious Whole Wheat Bread

26 Tuesday Jul 2011

Posted by in breads, cook, whole grains

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I love this whole wheat bread recipe! It is light but chewy and has a hint of sweetness and salt at the same time.

1 tablespoon yeast                            1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups warm water                      9 cups organic whole wheat flour (approximately)

1 cup warm milk                               2 teaspoons salt

1 cup warm cream                            1 egg

1/3 cup brown sugar                         2 tablespoons water

1/2 cup butter, melted

  • Grease a large bowl and set aside.
  • In another large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the water, milk and cream. Let stand for 5 minutes or until the yeast begins to foam. Add the brown sugar, butter, honey, salt and vanilla and mix well.
  • Begin adding the flour to the wet mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon. Keep adding flour until you are able to pick up the dough and knead by hand on a floured countertop. Knead for 8- 10 minutes.
  • Place the kneaded dough into the greased bowl and cover with a damp tea towel. Put the bowl in a warm dry place or in your oven on the proof setting and let it rise for 1 hour.
  • Punch down the dough and divide it into 2 portions (or more if you are making rolls or smaller loaves).
  • Butter two 9-inch loaf pans (I use high quality stoneware from Pampered Chef for a crisp crust and more even baking). Form the dough into loaves and place them in the pans. Allow these to rise for 1 hour.
  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  • To make an egg wash, beat together the egg and water and brush over the dough (or if you prefer, you can skip this step and brush melted butter over the loaves when they come out of the oven). Bake the loaves for about 35 minutes or until golden brown.
  • Remove loaves from oven and allow to cool for 30 minutes. Remove loaves from the pans and let them cool for an additional 30 minutes on a wire rack.    Yield: 2 loaves