The Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book_ A Guide to Whole-Grain Breadmaking - Laurel Robertson [62]
Turn the risen dough out on a lightly floured board and gently press into a big, very thin oblong. Spread the grits, the fruit, and the seeds on the surface of the dough, and fold it up, pressing the dough to compact it and expel any trapped air. Round it, smoothing the top, and let rise again. The second rising will take about half as long as the first.
Turn out and press flat. Divide in two, form rounds that are as smooth as possible, and cover them. Let the dough rest until its suppleness returns, which may take 15 to 20 minutes. Shape into loaves for two 8″x4″ pans, or make round loaves: this bread is particularly nice baked in pie tins, in glass or crockery bowls, or as one big round on a clay pizza stone. Let rise again, and then place the loaves in a preheated 350°F oven, baking about an hour, or until done. The big loaf will take longer, of course; if it rises well it should be done in an hour and a half. The dough has a lot going on in it, and should you find that it doesn’t rise as well as it ought to, do allow extra baking time. The flavor will be fine.
Famous Captain Carob Bread
2 teaspoons active dry yeast (¼ oz or 7 g)
2 ½ cups warm water (590 ml)
5 cups whole wheat flour (750 g)
2 ½ teaspoons salt (14 g)
6 tablespoons milk powder (43 g)
⅓ cup carob powder (23 g)
2 tablespoons butter (28 g)
¼ cup honey (60 ml)
¼ cup soy flour (14 g)
This bread is favored even by those who profess to scorn carob. A light, moist, close-textured, very nutritious bread, it is popular with children nonetheless. It tastes a little strange with savory sandwich fillings, but it’s a natural with peanut butter and nut and date butters, or with any mild cheese. Keeps well, makes great toast.
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water.
Mix the wheat flour, salt, milk powder, and carob in a big bowl. Combine with the yeast, mixing to make a slightly stiff dough. Knead for about 10 minutes, but not more.
Form the dough into a ball and place it smooth side up in the bowl. Cover and keep in a warm, draft-free place. After about an hour and a half, gently poke the center of the dough about ½ inch deep with your wet finger. If the hole doesn’t fill in at all or if the dough sighs, it is ready for the next step.
Use an eggbeater or fork to cream the butter and honey until they are smooth and fluffy. Work the soy flour into this, mixing until smooth. Turn the dough out onto the lightly floured surface, and press it flat. Spread the soy butter on the dough, fold or roll up, and knead until smooth and supple, about 10 more minutes. Keep in its warm spot to rise again.
Deflate the dough, divide in two, and gently form into rounds. Allow to rest for about 10 minutes, then shape into two loaves and place in greased 8″ 4″ pans. Let rise again as before, until the dough returns a gently made fingerprint slowly. Bake in preheated 350°F oven for about 50 minutes.
CAPTAIN CAROB CHIPPERS
Add ½ cup (80 g) unsweetened carob chips to one loaf’s worth of dough before shaping. Divide into twelve pieces and make little rounds, placing them in a greased muffin tin. The chipper rolls bake in about half an hour, and dusted with powdered sugar they could almost pass for cupcakes. This dough also makes a wonderful, strange loaf baked in a pie tin (or loaf pan). Some people hoot “Outrageous,” but I don’t notice them hanging back when the slicing begins.
Black Turtle’s Raisin Bread
1 cup raw black turtle beans (200 g)—scant 2 cups cooked
2 cups of liquid from cooking the beans (475 ml)
¼ cup blackstrap molasses (60 ml)
2 tablespoons oil (30 ml)
4 teaspoons active dry yeast (½ oz or 14 g)
¼ cup warm water (60 ml)
5 cups whole wheat bread flour (750 g)
1 tablespoon salt (16.5 g)
1 cup raisins (145 g), steamed 5 minutes and drained
This hefty cakelike bread would be worth making even if it were not so nutritious. Cooking