Thursday, January 31, 2013

Artisan bread....Rosemary Garlic and Olive Oil....

When I'm making flavored breads I use the basic bread dough recipe that I love (from Betty Crocker) and flavor it because it's a GREAT BREAD RECIPE.

I think it's excellent, the right amount of chewy and firm and elasticity.

These days, I can use all the Elasticity I can get, LOL!

So here's the basic bread recipe and yes, I use this base for cinnamon rolls too. Very versatile...

My bread recipe courtesy of Betty Crocker Cookbook....

2 packets of yeast (I use 2 Tablespoons from my big pack of yeast)
3/4 cup very warm water (Too warm for the baby's bath...)
Mix those two things together, a marriage made in heaven!!!

Then add:

1/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon salt
3 Tablespoons Crisco (shortening)
2 2/3 cup very warm water
5 cups flour


3-4 cups flour (added during kneading step)

Mix yeast and 3/4 cup water, let sit a couple of minutes to "work"... then add sugar. salt, Crisco and 5 cups bread flour.... Mix slowly at first, then raise the speed and mix well with regular beater paddle until smooth on medium speed.

Add 3-4 more cups of flour one cup at a time. I find it's usually about 8 1/2 cups altogether for a batch that makes a ton of cinnamon rolls or two nice big 9" loaves of bread. Use dough hook (kneader) to work flour into dough while you chill-lax and do your nails or something. Really, it is pretty darn easy with today's machinery.

Turn out dough onto counter. It's always good if the counter's clean. That is not a necessity, however.

Grease mixing bowl thoroughly. Put somewhat tainted dough back into mixing bowl. Flip it over or grease the top of dough, cover with towel and let rise in warm spot until almost doubled in size. (Depending on temperature this might be half-hour or an hour....)

Punch dough. (Removes latent aggressions)

Divide in half. (Permanent separation, SO SAD!!!!!)   ;)

Okay, now we're to the artisan part. I made this loaf too big, I should have cut the dough into THREE large pieces but I did two... One 9" loaf for cutting and one flavored loaf to make me/us fat.

This is the 9" loaf of bread that will be consumed far too quickly for anyone's benefit.... It's "resting" or "proofing" now... then into the oven it goes at 400 degrees until it's golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped....


Now we're moving into "Artisan" Bread.... and that just means you get to be super creative and have fun.



For this bread I use a piece of dough, olive oil, rosemary/garlic seasoning and sea salt...

And a baby monitor just because it's not good to ignore babies.  I'm just sayin'...


GARLIC/ROSEMARY/OLIVE OIL BREAD

Roll out dough

Coat with olive oil (I used my hands.... Ooooo messy!!!)
Then sprinkle with sea salt.... rosemary/garlic....


And roll:



Bake at 400 for around 25 minutes or so.... I brushed the bread with egg wash twice in the middle of the baking to give it a shiny, store-bought type surface.




And here is the final product!  Doesn't it look wonderful????




This is a couple of hunks of bread broken into pieces with seasoned olive oil dip... I used "Kiss by the Sun" black pepper and herbs seasoning, but any "bread" seasoning will work!

8 comments:

  1. this is torture..one of these days I'm gonna have to give yeast another try...and maybe clean my kitchen counters...but 'lucky me' my oven is crummy right now - need to replace it but that will require electrical headache since it's probably hardwired instead of plugged in since this place was built in the 70s and Sears really hates that..well their electrician ripoff dept probably doesn't..hmm maybe I should go oven shopping :-) guy at work has a handyman who's installed appliances but a new oven would mean losing some great storage space (it's a small double oven and the perfect height and space)

    anyways this loaf wouldn't fit in my toaster oven :-( though maybe I oculd make minis..

    I wanna come live with you!

    Susanna

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    1. Susanna, come ahead! Plenty of room! :) We had to put in two gas lines and electric for the oven.... so I'm feeling your pain! It wasn't cheap but I love my gas convection oven. It is a baker's dream!!!!

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  2. OH, yeah, baby! Coated in oil and spices and then dipped in oil and spices. I love it! :)

    I really need to make this. I can't remember the last time I made bread!

    Oh, wait. I do remember. Right before Thanksgiving to test it out for using for the holiday, I made Virginia's artisan bread (with pumpkin or sweet potato, I think). And I somehow ruined it! It was awful, although the family said it was okay.

    I wonder if I'll kill this one, too???

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    1. I saw that pumpkin artisan bread that Ginny Lou Who brought by with her friend, and I thought it would be fun to try.... Soon. It looks too good (and fancy!!!) to not try!

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  3. YUM! Boy, for somebody who steers clear of carbs, Ruthy, you sure know how to bring 'em on. I could make a meal of this.

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    1. My pants don't want to snap.

      Salad for supper tonight. Oh pshaw, stupid pants!!!!! I love baking but it sure does show on the old "bootie"!!!!

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  4. You're my kind of bread baker, Ruthy.

    With my Bosch mixer I can make six loaves at a time, and I love playing with them to bring variety to the table.

    I often make cinnamon swirl, or pizza loaf, but I've never tried rosemary and garlic! It sounds like a good project for an afternoon AFTER I get this current book off to my new editor (it's my Ruthy book, by the way...).

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    1. Jan, I love that you have a Ruthy book!!!! Happy dancing in upstate!!!! I saw your reply on Facebook but the darn kids needed WATCHING.... whose idea is that, I wonder????

      I am totally honored to be a name in your book, girlfriend!!! And I loved that Virginia made me OLD AND GRAY, the little witch.

      Pooey on her!!! But it was such a great character that I was honored. So fun!!! Thank you!!!!!!!!!

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