It was in the Ulster Folk Museum that I got the idea to bake my own bread. Its easy! the lady in the cottage had said. And yet it took quite some time before Id found the courage. In our long-gestating project, set in the north of the Netherlands in the mid-19th century, two bakers play key parts: one a pillar of village society, and the owner of a big bakery, the other a young woman eking out a scant living selling home-baked bread. Because of this, it was quite instructive to pound the dough, as it were. So, we bought the ingredients and found a simple recipe online, which Ive further stripped down, to make it more efficient and especially to have less cleaning to do.
What youll need:
Flour, 450 grams (white, wholemeal or a mix. Ive used a 50/50 mix).
Yeast, a teaspoon full. The white flour I use is self-raising, but I throw some in anyway.
Sugar, a heaped tablespoon full, but you can put in more or less, or none at all.
Cinnamon, a couple of firm shakes. Here too, if you dont like it, leave it out. If you love it, shake with vigour!
2 apples. Of course you can experiment with other fruits, nuts and what-have-yous, or leave it out.
Lukewarm water.
Large mixing bowl.
Olive oil.
Kitchen paper. Couple of sheets will do.
Cling film.
Baking paper.
Cooling rack is handy.
Making the dough
Weigh out the flour in the measuring jug, and add the sugar, cinnamon.
Wash your hands. Have the water ready, with a bit of kitchen paper around the handle.
Pour a teacup of water into the flour. Pour some oil into your hand and wash your hands with it.
Start kneading your mix. The oil will make it easier to clean your hands later.
The dough should be sticky and firm, and not crummy and breaking.
You may need more water. Carefully pour more. Its easier to put in more water than having to add more flour. Your hands will be covered with dough; you now know why the handle of the jug is wrapped with kitchen paper.
Done? Scrape as much of the dough off your hands as you can. In due time you find your little tricks for this. It helps to have nails and not be a biter as I am.
Go wash your hands with hot water. Use a bit of kitchen paper not to get your tap/faucet covered in dough.
Cover the bowl with cling film. Leave it for about 3 hours or overnight.
And Back!
Youll hopefully find your dough has expanded. If underwhelmingly; dont worry. Your bread will be a bit stodgier, but still edible. itll rise in the oven too.
As prep, cover your cooling rack with baking paper.
Cut your fruit and throw it on the dough. I tend to cut it very fine, as itll mix better then.
Best to quickly wash your hands, dry them. Also put some kitchen paper around the valve of your hot water tap. Then wash them with a bit of oil.
And knead the fruit through the dough. If you experiment with different kinds of flour, youll notice that wholemeal holds together better and is more shape consistent than white flour.
Right. Done? Plop your dough on the baking paper, and shape a loaf out of it. I dont use a baking tin; it saves washing up, and also no struggles getting your loaf out of the tin.
Scrape the remnants of dough off your hands and stick them to the loaf, like any bits of dough and fruit that have stayed behind in the mixing bowl.
Wash your hands. Youll be happy about the kitchen paper. Then put the drying rack with your loaf in the oven.
Bake it for 35 minutes at 220 C / 428 F.
That should do it! Nothing tastes as nice as that first butt of bread you cut off and cover with spread!!
