by James Beard
Deflate the dough by punching it firmly two or three times, return to the floured board, and knead 4 to 5 minutes more. Divide into two equal parts and shape into loaves. Place in well-buttered 9 × 5 × 3-inch loaf tins, cover, and let rise again until doubled in bulk. Slash the loaves with a sharp knife and brush with lightly beaten egg white or water. Bake in a 400° oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until the bread sounds hollow when tapped with the knuckles. Remove the loaves from the pans and put them in oven a few minutes longer to become crisped.
White Free-Form Loaf
A free-form loaf is one that is not baked in a tin. It can be made round or oval. It is best, I find, when baked in an oven in which the racks are lined with tiles, with a pan of boiling water set on the lower rack to create steam. This type of bread is known as a “sponge loaf,” which means that you make a soft yeast mixture and let it refrigerate one or two nights to start fermentation before you continue with the recipe.
[1 free-form loaf]
FOR THE SPONGE:
2 packages active dry yeast
½ cup warm water (100° to 115°, approximately)
2 cups flour, preferably hard wheat
¾ to 1 cup water, approximately
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water, let it proof in a large mixing bowl, and start adding the flour with enough water to make quite a soft dough. When the sponge is well mixed, cover it with a plate or plastic wrap and refrigerate it 12 to 36 hours—one or two nights.
FOR THE BREAD:
3 tablespoons olive or other vegetable oil
½ cup buttermilk
2 cups flour plus ½ cup for kneading
1 tablespoon coarse salt
Cornmeal
When ready to make the bread, remove the sponge from the refrigerator, punch down, and place in a large mixing bowl. Add the oil, then gradually add the buttermilk and 2 cups of flour, mixed with the salt, to make a soft dough. Turn this out onto a lightly floured board, using another ½ cup flour or more, if need be, and knead for a good 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic, and resilient to the pressure of your fingers. Shape into a ball, and place in a buttered or oiled bowl, turning to lightly coat with the fat. Let rise until doubled in bulk at ordinary room temperature. (Because the sponge is cold when it comes from the refrigerator, rising will probably take from 1½ to 2 hours, or even a little more.) When it has risen, punch down and let rest for a few minutes, then remove to a floured board and knead for 3 to 4 minutes. Place back in the bowl and let rise a second time until doubled in bulk, 1 to 1¼ hours.
Punch the dough down again and let rest for 2 or 3 minutes on the floured board, then shape into an oval, round, or oblong loaf and place on an ungreased sheet coated with cornmeal. Let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours—don’t worry if it’s slow. (If the dough seems to have spread a lot, resist the temptation to reshape it; it will make a good loaf anyway.) Preheat the oven to 425°, and set a pan of boiling water on the lower rack. Brush the loaf with cold water and slash about ½ inch deep in several places with a razor blade or a very sharp knife. Let rest at room temperature for about 5 more minutes, then place the baking sheet in the oven, on the upper rack. Immediately lower the temperature to 375°, bake for 20 minutes, then brush again with cold water. Continue to bake for 40 to 50 minutes longer, until the bread is a delicious-looking dark color and makes a hollow sound when tapped on top and bottom. Cool thoroughly before slicing.
Broiled White Free-Form Loaf
This was a mistake that proved to be extremely interesting. I was testing another version of the free-form loaf, the recipe for which appears below, turned the oven to 375° without my glasses on, and placed the loaf in the oven. I thought it was browning magnificently and then discovered I had turned the oven to “broil.” I immediately switched to “bake,” but by this time I had a beautifully brown, crisp top crust and the loaf had risen. In the end the loaf tasted absolutely wonderful, and the upper crust was superb. The next time I reversed the procedure and let it bake first and then broil, and this loaf came out very well too. I thought I would record my experience here as a novelty—and to make the point that baking bread is always an adventure.
[1 free-form loaf]
2 packages active dry yeast
¾ cup warm water (100° to 115°, approximately)
4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1½ tablespoons coarse salt
3 tablespoons olive, vegetable, or peanut oil
½ cup buttermilk
Cornmeal
1 egg white, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and let it proof. Measure the flour into a mixing bowl, add the salt, and blend well. Add the yeast and blend thoroughly, preferably with your hands. Add the oil, and then, gradually, the buttermilk. Mix with the hands or in an electric mixer with a dough hook until the dough comes off the bowl. Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead for 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and resilient. Remove to a buttered bowl and turn to coat the surface with butter. Cover and let rise until doubled in bulk.
Punch the dough down, knead for 3 minutes, and let rise once more. Punch down again, then, using both hands, gather the dough into a big circular package, draw the top together to close it, and pinch the ends together. Turn the dough over, and set it, pinched-end side down, on a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal, and let rise until doubled in bulk. (Cornmeal may be sprinkled on the top, too, for an extra accent.) Slash the top in three places and brush with the egg wash. Broil at 375° for 20 minutes, then switch to “bake” for 25 minutes, or until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped with the knuckles. (If your broiler has no setting, place the bread as far as possible from the unit and watch carefully. You may have to switch from “broil” to “bake” more quickly.) Remove the loaf from the baking sheet and let it rest directly on the oven rack for a few minutes to brown the bottom. Cool on a rack.
Buttermilk White Bread
Made with hard-wheat flour, this loaf is light, chewy, and extremely well crusted. It is a delicious bread for sandwiches or for toast, and it stores nicely if refrigerated in a plastic bag or frozen. The dough can also be baked as small rolls (see forming instructions).
[1 loaf]
2 packages active dry yeast
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
½ cup warm water (100° to 115°, approximately)
4 cups unbleached hard-wheat flour
1 tablespoon salt
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 to 1½ cups buttermilk
Combine the yeast, sugar, and water and allow to proof. Mix the flour, salt, melted butter, and buttermilk together, work into a smooth dough, and then add the yeast mixture. Beat well for 2 minutes, then remove to a well-floured board and knead for approximately 10 minutes, until the dough is supple, smooth, and satiny. (The dough can also be prepared in an electric mixer equipped with a dough hook. Combine all the ingredients, knead with the dough hook for approximately 5 to 6 minutes, and then remove the dough to a floured board for about 2 minutes of kneading by hand.) Place the dough in a buttered bowl and turn to coat the dough with butter. Cover and set in a warm spot to rise until more than doubled in bulk. Punch down the dough, remove to a floured board, and knead for two minutes. Form into a loaf about 9 × 5 inches by patting flat to a rather rough rectangle, folding in the ends, and then folding in the sides. Pinch the seams together well. Put in a buttered 9 × 5 × 3-inch bread pan, cover, and place in a warm, draft-free spot to rise until more than doubled in bulk. Bake in the center of a preheated 375° oven for about 40 minutes. For rolls, bake at 375° for 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from the pan, and bake for another 5 to 8 minutes on its side to give a crisp brown crust. Cool on a rack before slicing.
Carl Gohs’ Bread
Carl Gohs is a fellow Oregonian who has done much research on early foods, as well as on pioneer and Indian cooking. His bread is quite a lot of trouble to make, but it has interesting flavour,
because of the wheat germ, and the texture is also extremely good. The intriguing thing about this recipe is that the final dough is twisted to make it denser, which results in a fine grain. It is a beautiful bread that keeps well, whether stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator or frozen, and it ships nicely too. (It was flown from coast to coast when I first tasted it.) It’s fun to make a big batch and save some, or give it to friends.
[2 loaves]
3 packages active dry yeast
½ cup warm water (100° to 115°, approximately)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 medium potato, unpeeled but washed
1½ cups potato water
1 cup wheat germ
½ cup powdered milk
5 teaspoons salt
Butter, at room temperature
In a 2-quart or medium-large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in the ½ cup lukewarm water, add the brown sugar, stir, and set aside for 15 to 20 minutes, until it works and froths, acquiring about a 2-inch “head.” Stir in ½ cup flour and continue to stir until smooth. Set this “sponge” aside to work, covered with a cloth, for about an hour. Stir it down each time it doubles in bulk.
Meanwhile, cut the washed, unpeeled potato in several pieces and boil in about 1½ cups water until tender. Peel and mash. Measure the water remaining in pan and add to it, if necessary, to bring it to 1½ cups. Combine the mashed potatoes and potato water, stir, and set aside to cool.
In a bowl of at least 6-quart capacity or, better yet, in a stainless steel pan with straight sides and flat bottom, combine 2½ cups of flour (including any of the flours listed under “variations” below) with wheat germ, powdered milk, and salt. Stir well with a fork. When the yeast mixture has doubled in bulk and been deflated at least two times, add it to the dry ingredients in the large bowl along with the potato slurry. Stir 1 or 2 minutes with wooden spoon, until all the ingredients are blended. Cover with a cloth and set this second sponge aside in a warm, draft-free place to double in bulk, about 1½ to 1¾ hours.
Take 1 cup of flour and spread it into a 14-inch circle on a board at least 16 by 18 inches. Spoon out the bread dough onto the flour, then wash the bowl or pan the dough was in, and butter it liberally. Set bowl aside.
Take the last cup of flour, sprinkle some of it over the dough on the board, and begin to knead the dough, scooping it up from below and turning it over frequently to incorporate the flour. Add the remaining flour and knead vigorously until the dough is smooth and elastic. (The total kneading time will be 10 to 12 minutes.) Roll the ball of dough in the well-buttered bowl or pan to coat evenly. Cover with a cloth and set aside in a warm, draft-free place to double in bulk, about 1 to 1½ hours. Butter hands lightly, punch the dough down, divide in half, and form into 2 loaves. Place each in a buttered 9 × 5 × 3-inch baking pan. Cover with cloths and set aside in a warm, draft-free place to double in bulk, about 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes.
Arrange the pans on a single rack in the center of a preheated 450° oven. Reduce the heat immediately to 400° and bake for 40 minutes, or until the loaves are dark brown and rapping on top produces a hollow sound.
Turn the loaves out onto a wire rack to cool.
VARIATIONS
• Substitute for 1 cup of white flour any of the following: 1 cup stone-ground flour, 1 cup rye flour, 1 cup whole-wheat flour, or ½ cup rye and ½ cup whole-wheat.
NOTE
Mr. Gohs twists the dough after it has been formed into a loaf, stretching it between his two hands and turning it clockwise several times at one end while turning counterclockwise at the other, in the way in which you would gently wring dut a towel. He then fits it into the pan. You will find that this gives an interesting and unusual texture to the bread.
French-Style Bread
French bread, as we all know, has been praised and prized above all other breads in the world for its distinctive crumb, crisp crust, and superb flavor. However, the carefully controlled preparation of it in commercial bakeries is difficult to duplicate in one’s own kitchen. If you are ready for the challenge, you should search out a recipe that is as complete as the one developed by Julia Child and Simone Beck for Volume 2 of Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Their method seems tremendously complex but it is great fun to follow through to the final goal (and once mastered, not difficult to do again); the loaves are startlingly good and genuinely French.
The bread I am giving here is not truly French, and for that reason it is called “French-style.” Actually it could be called “Continental,” because it is very much like the bread one finds in Italy, Spain, and Portugal. It has also been known for many years as “Cuban bread.” It is a casual, easy-to-make bread that can be played with in several ways. If made according to the basic recipe below it produces a good loaf ready for eating almost the minute it comes from the oven. It will not hold for more than half a day but, of course, can be frozen.
[2 long loaves]
1½ packages active dry yeast
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 cups warm water (100° to 115°, approximately)
1 tablespoon salt
5 to 6 cups all-purpose or hard-wheat flour
3 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon egg white, mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water
Combine the yeast with sugar and warm water in a large bowl and allow to proof. Mix the salt with the flour and add to the yeast mixture, a cup at a time, until you have a stiff dough. Remove to a lightly floured board and knead until no longer sticky, about 10 minutes, adding flour as necessary. Place in a buttered bowl and turn to coat the surface with butter. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 1½ to 2 hours.
Punch down the dough. Turn out on a floured board and shape into two long, French bread-style loaves. Place on a baking sheet that has been sprinkled with the cornmeal but not buttered. Slash the tops of the loaves diagonally in two or three places, and brush with the egg wash. Place in a cold oven, set the temperature at 400°, and bake 35 minutes, or until well browned and hollow sounding when the tops are rapped.
VARIATIONS
• For a wheaten loaf, use half white flour and half whole-wheat flour.
• Substitute equal parts of whole-wheat flour and cracked wheat for half of the white flour.
• For a more involved, more tightly textured loaf: Use either the original recipe or the whole-wheat variation. After the first rising, remove from the bowl, punch down, and knead again for 5 to 10 minutes. Return to the buttered bowl for a second rising. When it has doubled in bulk, form into two loaves and place on a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes. Slash with a sharp razor or knife, brush with slightly beaten egg white or water, and place in a cold oven set for 375° or 400°. Bake until nicely browned and hollow sounding when tapped with the knuckles.
• Line the oven rack with tiles, preheat the oven to 400°, and slide your bread loaves from the baking sheet directly onto the tiles, which have been sprinkled with cornmeal.
• Add to the liquid in the first step 4 to 5 tablespoons olive oil and then proceed with either the original recipe or the whole-wheat variation. You may need to use a small additional amount of flour.
• Use ⅓ white flour, ⅓ whole-wheat, and ⅓ cracked-wheat. This will give a very nice coarse, nutlike texture to the bread. With this mixture I would advise adding olive oil in the beginning to give tenderness.
Pullman Loaf or Pain de Mie
This is the white bread frequently used for sandwiches, a four-square loaf that has delicate texture, a fine crumb, and good flavor. It is made in a special pan with a sliding lid at the top that keeps the bread in shape as it bakes. If you do not have this type of pan, you can bake it in an ordinary pan, covered with tinfoil and lightly weighted with tiles or similar weights. However, the tins are easily available in restaurant and baking supply houses and are not expensive. This is a beautiful toasting bread, and if correctly ma
de, it can be sliced paper thin. In addition to its excellence for sandwiches and toast, it is useful for croutons, crumbs, rolled sandwiches, little canapés, and hors d’oeuvres.
[1 large loaf]
2 packages active dry yeast
1½ cups warm water (100° to 115°, approximately)
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
6½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 stick (½ cup) sweet butter
Dissolve the yeast in ½ cup of the warm water with the sugar, and let it proof. Combine 6 cups of the flour with the salt in a large bowl. Using two knives, cut the butter into the flour and salt, being careful not to overwork it. (Or using your hands, squeeze pieces of the butter into the flour very carefully.) Place the yeast mixture in a large mixing bowl and add ½ cup warm water. Then add the flour-and-butter mixture, incorporating it with one hand only and using the remaining water to create a stiff, sticky dough. Turn the dough out on a floured board and work it hard for a good 10 minutes: slap it, beat it, punch it, and give it a thorough kneading. When finally smooth, let rest for a few minutes, then shape into a ball. Place in a well-buttered bowl, turn to coat the surface, cover, and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot for 1½ hours.
Punch the dough down and let rise for 3 to 4 minutes, then knead again vigorously for 3 or 4 minutes. Shape into a ball and put back in the buttered bowl to rise again, from 45 minutes to 1 hour. Punch the dough down and let rest another 3 or 4 minutes. Knead a third time and then shape carefully into a loaf to fit a well-buttered 13½ × 4 × 3¾-inch pan. Let rise until almost doubled in bulk, approximately 1 hour. Butter the inside of the lid, if you are using a pullman tin, or butter a piece of foil, cover (weight if using foil), and place in a preheated 400° oven. Turn the heat down immediately to 375°. After 30 minutes turn the tin on one side for 5 minutes and then on the other side for 5 minutes. Set it upright again, and remove the lid; the bread should have risen to the top of the pan. (If using foil and weights, remove both at this point.)
