MULTIGRAIN BREAD

If you search through the ingredients on the bread packet on the supermarket shelf you will actually be very surprised that all you need to make a loaf is yeast,water,salt,flour and a pair of hands.
All the bread expects from you is a little bit of patience.....

Ps.I wouldn't be myself if I didn't add some seeds into my bread ;)

Enjoy......

 

RECIPE:

For 1 loaf

INGREDIENTS:

200g/7oz white bread flour

300g/11 oz wholemeal bread flour

300ml/10fl oz tepid water

50g/2 oz fine oats

75g/3oz mixed seeds

25g/1oz fresh yeast(room temperature) or 12g/ 1/2oz instant yeast

2tbsp sunflower oil

1tsp salt

pinch of sugar

Additionaly:egg,beaten(to brush the bread with) and 2tbsp oats and seeds(to sprinkle over the bread)

METHOD:

1.Crumble fresh(or dry) yeast into a bowl add 1 pinch of sugar,50ml/2fl oz tepid water and 1-2 tbsp flour.Mix until smooth and let it rest for 10-15 minutes.It should be bubbling and foamy after that amount of time.

2.Sift the flour with salt into a large bowl. Add yeast mixture,sunfower oil,seeds and oats. Combine using a wooden spoon.Slowely pour water into a bowl.Mix till the dough comes together.Add a little flour onto a flat surface and knead the dough for around 10 minutes adding just a little flour at a time.The dough should not be sticky but quite playable.

3.Cover the bowl with a cotton tea towel and leave to rise (around 1 hour to 1 and 1/2 hours).(Just remember yeast dough doesn't like droughts).

4.Grease a bread pan and sprinkle with some fine oats and seeds. When the dough double in size,punch it down and place on a slightly floured surface.Knead for 2-3 minutes and place it in a greased baking pan.Leave for another 30 minutes.

5.Preheat the oven 190 C/170 C fan/Gas.Brush the dough with egg and sprinkle seeds and oats on the top.Bake for 45 minutes covering with aluminium foil if it gets too brown.It should have a hollow sound when you knock it.

6.Take the bread out of the tin and place on a cooling rack.

''SUNFLOWER'' BULGARIAN BREAD

Chefs and cooks are artists,aren't they?But we all become artists as soon as we walk behind the kitchen door, using the ingredients as the tools to create our own MASTERPIECE!Food is simply beautiful and beautiful are the souls that create it.

This bread is what I call a WORK OF ART.You will ''OCH'' and ''ACH'' just looking at it.It's one of those foods which is too beautiful to eat.But you will eat it eventually ;) And when you do you will be even more amazed how great the recipe is!

I discovered the recipe at www.mojewypieki.com ages ago and I'm so glad I did!

RECIPE:

for one bread

INGREDIENTS:

330g white bread flour
150 ml tepid milk 
1 large free range egg
1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp sunflower oil
1,5 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
15g fresh yeast

ADDITIONALLY
60 g butter, melted
1 egg yolk

1.Crumble the yeast in a small bowl,add 1/2 tbsp sugar,mix together then add 50 ml tepid milk and 1 tbsp flour and mix again.Cover with cotton tea towel and leave for around 10-15 minutes until it gets foamy.

2.Beat the egg in a large bowl, add the rest of the tepid milk,salt,sugar,oil and slowly sift the flower over it, add lemon juice and yeast mixture.Mix it all with a wooden spoon graduating to kneading with your hands.Knead until smooth and elastic adding more flour if it's still to sticky.Cover with a cloth and let it rise for 1 1/2 hours or until dough has doubled in bulk.

3.Grease 23cm round baking tray with butter and sprinkle with semolina.

4.Punch out the risen dough and turn onto floured board.Divide in half, knead each half for couple of minutes and divide each half into four.(you should end up with four small dough balls). Roll out each one quite thin,sprinkling it with flour.Stack them on the side(but flour each one so they don't stick together). And now the FUN BEGINS ;) Put your first layer ( pancake - how I call them ;)) on the side and brush it with butter, then stack another one on the top and do the same until you get to the fourth one.When you have all four, buttered and stacked on top of each other roll them and leave on the side.Repeat with the other four.You have got 2 rolls now which you are going to cut into thick triangles.Place them on a baking tray in a shape of sunshine.If you have any ''off cuts'' press the ends together into a ball and place on the top of triangles.Let it raise for half an hour.

5.Preheat the oven 200 C/180 fan/Gas 6.Brush the bread with beaten egg yolk and sprinkle with sesame seeds.Bake for 35 minutes(cover with aluminium foil after around 10-15 minutes). Try if it's ready with bamboo skewers.If you prick the bread with it and it comes out clean it's READY!

MY VERSION WITH A TWIST: Garlic bread.Simply add 6 garlic cloves(crushed) to the melted butter you brush over the layers.

 

MINI CALZONES

My favourite pizza dough folded into delicious crescents.MINI CALZONE are a perfect idea for a party dish.They will disappear in a blink of an eye.So soft and crispy with a melting cheese in a centre.It's EVERYBODY'S FAVOURITE!

RECIPE:

for 12 calzones

INGREDIENTS:

DOUGH:

320 g white bread flour + 30 g when kneading
210 ml lukewarm water
20 g fresh yeast(room temperature) or 10g instant
2 tbsp olive oil
salt, one pinch
sugar, one pinch
2 tbsp dry thyme

ADDITIONALLY : egg yolk mixed with 1tbsp milk

FILLING:all ingredients chopped finely

1 chicken fillet,chopped
half pepper(any),chopped
half chilli pepper
120 g mushroom,chopped
100 g cheese(preferably edam or gouda),greated
1 onion,chopped
2 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil
salt,freshly grounded
pepper,freshly grounded


1.Crumble fresh/dry yeast with pinch of sugar, 40 ml lukewarm water and a 1 tbsp flour.Stir and leave to foam for 10-15 minutes

2.Mix the flour and salt in a bowl, add olive oil, 1 tbsp thyme.Add yeast mixture and the rest of lukewarm water.Mix with a wooden spoon, when the mixture comes together start kneading it using your hands.Add some more flour if the dough is too sticky.Knead for around 5-10 minutes until the dough is very soft.(trust me you will feel the difference). Cover the bowl with a cotton tea towel and put to rise somewhere warm, but NOT hot, until dough has doubled in size - it takes around 1 hour.(remember dough doesn't like draughts!)

3.In the meantime prepare the filling.Put all the ingredients into one pan and stir-fry until cooked.Season well with salt and pepper.

4.Preheat the oven 190 C/170 C fan /Gas 5

5.When the dough doubled in size, put it on a lightly floured surface and knead for another 2-3 minutes,roll it out and cut 10,5 cm/4 inch circle and place on a well greased baking tray(sprinkled with semolina)

6.Place some cheese and some filling on each circle, fold into a half-moons and pinch edges, forming a well-sealed crescent.Transfer each one onto a baking tray,brush with egg yolk and milk mixture and sprinkle with thyme.

6.Bake for 35 minutes(I put it on fan for the last 5 minutes), I cover mine with aluminium foil after 15 minutes.

Serve with garlic sauce

Two flavours PIZZA - and the best dough base!

One flavour is booooooring but two pizzas is too much.....Why not make two in one?
I love spicy chicken and garlicky mushroom!
What are your favourite flavours?

RECIPE for one pizza

INGREDIENTS:

PIZZA DOUGH BASE

180 g white pizza flour (00 strong white flour) + 30 g when kneading
125 ml lukewarm water
10 g fresh yeast(room temperature) or 5g instant
1 tbsp olive oil
salt, one pinch
oregano(dry), one pinch
basil(dry), one pinch
sugar, one pinch

1.Crumble fresh/dry yeast with pinch of sugar, 40 ml lukewarm water and a 1 tbsp flour.Stir and leave to foam for 10-15 minutes

2.Mix the flour and salt in a bowl, add olive oil, oregano and basil.Add yeast mixture and the rest of lukewarm water.Mix with a wooden spoon, when the mixture comes together start kneading it using your hands.Add some more flour if the dough is too sticky.Knead for around 5-10 minutes until the dough is very soft.(trust me you will feel the difference). Cover the bowl with a cotton tea towel and put to rise somewhere warm, but NOT hot, until dough has doubled in size - it takes around 1 hour.(remember dough doesn't like draughts!)

3.Preheat the oven 190 C/170 C fan /Gas 5

4.When the dough doubled in size, put it on a lightly floured surface and knead for another 2-3 minutes,roll it out into a large circle and place on a well greased baking tray.

5.Spread with the sauces(one sauce for one half). Sprinkle with cheese and add the toppings for each half.

6.Bake for 30 minutes(I put it on fan for the last 5 minutes)


FOR RED ONE:

90g grated cheese
tomato sauce
yellow pepper, 3 slices
1 chicken breast, grilled and chopped
1 red chilli
fresh thyme
sea salt, freshly grounded

TOMATO SAUCE:(ingredients for half a pizza base)

6-7 tbsp tomato purée
1/2 tsp sugar
sea salt, freshly grounded
black pepper, freshly grounded

1.Mix all the ingredients together

Alternatively: use a good quality tomato ketchup


FOR WHITE ONE:

90g grated cheese
garlic sauce
5 mushrooms,sliced
1 medium red onion, sliced
 fresh dill
2 garlic cloves, sliced
sea salt, freshly grounded

GARLIC SAUCE:(ingredients for half a pizza base)
6 tbsp double cream
1 and 1/2 tbsp mayonnaise
1-2 garlic cloves, crushed
fresh dill, chopped
black pepper, freshly grounded

1.Mix all the ingredients together until you get a nice and smooth consistency

This last piece didn't last for long ;-)

CHALLAH

What a beautiful day it was!At last we had some sunshine here in the UK!I didn't even mind to water my veg today ;-) .After the last cold and rainy two weeks I was absolutely desperate to get a bit of sun on my bones.And it was just nice to relax in the garden.About a year ago I didn't even now how it felt to have a garden so I make the most of it now.(which in the UK means it's about once a month-if we are lucky) ;-)

Anyway,CHALLAH!

I LOVE making yeast dough!Whether it is bread, sweet buns or challah.There is something really magical about the whole process.Like Gordon Ramsey said '' You can switch of and loose yourself in it''.And I might be weird but I find it relaxing.....although kneading is blo*** hard work!!

RECIPE for 2 challahs

INGEDIENTS:

250 ml tepid water 
25 g fresh yeast or 8 g instant (I highly recommend fresh!), room temperature
5 egg yolks, room temperature
2 tbsp sunflower or rapeseed oil
4 tbsp sugar
550 g  white bread flour
1 tsp salt

ADDITIONALLY:
beaten egg
sesame or poppy seeds

1. In a large bowl, sprinkle yeast over barely warm water. Beat in sugar, oil,egg yolks, and salt. Add the flour one cup at a time, beating after each addition, graduating to kneading with hands as dough thickens. Knead until smooth and elastic and no longer sticky, adding flour as needed. Cover with a damp clean cloth and let rise for 1 1/2 hours or until dough has doubled in bulk.

2. Punch down the risen dough and turn out onto floured board. Divide in half and knead each half for five minutes or so, adding flour as needed to keep from getting sticky. Divide each half into six and roll into long strands about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Pinch the ends of the six strands together firmly and braid a challah.Grease two baking trays and place finished braid on it. Cover with towel and let rise about half an hour.

3.Preheat oven to 180 C/Fan 160 C/Gas 4

4. Beat the remaining egg and brush a generous amount over each braid. Sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds if desired.

5. Bake for about 40 minutes. Bread should have a nice hollow sound when thumped on the bottom. Cool on a rack before slicing.

I do recommend go on to YOU TUBE and look for some videos how to braid a challah.
My husband even try to make a video of me braiding a challah and............ it is sooo funny and EMBARASSING, so I'm going to keep it to myself ;-)

photo by hubby

photo by hubby

Braided in the same way,somehow they look completely different.???Oh well.....It was my artistic day!