This rustic loaf of bread is made using the Tassajara method made famous by Edward Brown in 1969. The recipe is easy, concise and delicious explaining it's popularity for over 50 years.
I learned of this recipe while reading Hippie Food: How Back-to-the-Landers, Longhairs, and Revolutionaries Changed the Way We Eat by Jonathon Kaufman.
This is the novel chosen by Deb of Kahakai Kitchenas our April/May selection for Cook the Books. You still have plenty of time to read this interesting book and join us. You can learn how by reading the invitation postand following the guidelines.
Cycling Foodie » Blog Archive » Whole Wheat, Rye, & Oat Bran Bread
I thought it was quite coincidental that this book was chosen to be read during this time in our history. The book is all about the Hippie Movement of the 60's and 70's when they were flocking to communes and trying to live off the land with what they had on hand and with very little money.
It seems that people sheltering in place and staying home are spending a lot of time in the kitchen and one of the things they are making is homemade bread. This is evident by the fact that finding flour at the grocers is becoming more and more difficult.
One of the things that Hippie Food brought to us was the awareness of the natural goodness and health benefits of whole grains. Tassajara Bread starts with whole wheat flour. There are recipes that also add in additional seeds and grains but I did not add anything to my version that I started with a bag of white whole wheat flour that I had in my pantry.
Struggling With Wholemeal Texture
I found a recipe for Tassajara Bread from the NY Times that I adapted to make this loaf. I did not have any powdered milk which would have made the bread have a more tender, softer crumb and I chose not to add milk to the recipe so this loaf is very toothsome and hearty.
I halved the recipe to only make 1 loaf. I also used my stand mixer for the stirring and kneading. I omitted on of the rising times and forgot to put on the egg wash before baking. The loaf still browned up beautifully.
It's interesting to me that the Hippie mantras are still being repeated and are so important to us here and now. Eat Organic. Eat Local when possible. Support your local farmers and small businesses. Eat whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables. Avoid processed foods and seek out natural alternatives. Eat and farm sustainably. Go back to basics and eat as our forefathers did.Jonathan and I both have English roots. Well, mine are adopted, but I’ll claim them if I can get away with it! I recently noticed how English, yet very American our most common breakfast is. Toast and tea to make our mums proud. But, toast slathered in peanut butter and plain tea. No milk. No sugar. Our fathers smile.
I Decided To Bake 4 Loaves In One Day: Tassajara Bread Book Potato Bread.
Before I started culinary school, I made a personal goal to bake my first loaf of sandwich bread on my own. After baking babkas, galettes and all kinds of sweet breads and cookies, I figured it was time to bake something completely wholesome and practical. Receiving a homemade loaf of bread as a going-away present pushed my goal into gear! And I figured I wouldn’t be without an expert baker as a teacher, hence
Immediately I noticed the bread book being featured in some of my favorite craft/food blogs, in articles and references from other books. One glance into it and it’s evident that it’s a true master bread guide. The recipe featured here for the Tassajara Yeasted Bread is quite condensed and includes some of my insight. While a very basic recipe is included in the book, there is a thorough step-by-step pre-chapter that includes detailed drawings. I highly recommend it to bread-baking amateurs like myself. It’s not just a bread book though, it contains many dessert recipes, including the secret to making delectable cinnamon buns!
foolproof and definitely worth it. The recipe makes a hearty, yet surprisingly (for being whole wheat) chewy bread that doesn’t easily crumble and makes perfect toast…for peanut butter breakfasts. We’ve gone through four loaves already and planning to do more baking this weekend!
Tassajara's Cardamom Lemon Soda Bread
1: In a medium or large bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Stir in sweetening and dry milk until dissolved. Slowly add flour and stir until batter is thick. Make sure the flour is fully incorporated.
The book notes to “beat well with a spoon (for) 100 strokes.” This is my favorite part of the recipe and the most simple to follow, so I recommend it. 100 stokes!
Cover with a towel and allow dough to rise in a warm area for 45 minutes. A cool or cold area will cause the dough to take longer to rise.
Back To Bread
2: Fold in salt and oil. Slowly add the additional whole wheat flour. Dough should be very thick. Flour a clean surface with 1/4-1/3 of remaining 1 cup flour (for kneading). Knead dough on the floured surface until dough is elastic and smooth. Add more flour as needed to keep dough from sticking to the surface and hands. Form into a ball.
3: Lightly oil a medium or large bowl. (I use the same bowl without issues, but you may want a new, clean bowl.) Place dough in the oiled bowl, then flip dough over to make sure all sides are lightly oiled. Cover with a damp towel, place in a warm area and allow dough to rise for 50-60 minutes. Dough should double in size.
5: Shape dough into loaves, then place into loaf pans. (I used 9 x 5-inch pans) Allow dough to rise 20-25 minutes.
Healthy Homemade Whole Wheat Bread
6: Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut one or two slits, 1/2-inch deep into the top of each loaf, to allow steam to escape. Bake 50-60 minutes, until golden brown. Allow loaves to cool before slicing.
Recommends sealing the bread in an plastic bag and storing loaves in the refrigerator or freezer. Freezing the bread will affect its flavor. Jonathan and I usually go through a loaf of bread in three days or fewer, so I seal and store one loaf in the refrigerator and one on the counter. This bread contains no preservatives, so it is prone to spoiling on the counter sooner than store-bought.
0 Komentar