Maybe I should say Guatemalan Style Pan Francés. I never actually learned to make this bread in Guatemala, and from this remove of 40 years, it was only after watching a few Guatemalan videos and reading lots of recipes that I went and created my own version.
Everyone has their own style, their own methods; the things that work best for them, based on how they have done things over time, past experience. This is how it was for me. Making all the various Guatemalan style breads, which I truly only went into with some dedication last November, as I had been craving Shecas for ages! I watched videos to see the various styles for forming the breads, and then I did what worked best for me. My methods may or may not actually be true, And then again, no two bakers make things exactly the same. While any professional baker will have their methods, tried and true, and teach these methods to students, there will always, always be variations. I say all this, because when anyone reads my methods, but might see something elsewhere that works better, then go for it. Comfort in your own methods is highly important in baking and cooking. This is where enjoyment starts.
French Bread, and Pan Francés Okay, so when things actually come down to the fine brass tacks, there are not many ingredients in any French bread. True French bread needs nothing more than flour, yeast, salt and water. Additions, such as lard or shortening, if used, should be kept to a minimum. Sugar truly has no place in French bread, but most recipes I read for Guatemalan Pan Francés has at least a little of both of these latter ingredients.
Bake Off Champ' Frances Quinn's Quinntessential Ginger Bread Recipe
Forming the Dough When I lived in Guatemala, I was married to a Guatemalan man, and for a brief moment in time, he owned a bakery. Once, when he took me through it, my memory of what I saw was of a baker forming Pan Francés. He already had a line or set of the breads formed, with the deep dent down the center. He had a heavily floured baker's couche set at one side, with a deep pleat upwards. He flipped the line of formed breads so that the pleat in the couche was poking into the line down the center of the breads and there it would rise. I know the reasoning for this - the bread just wants to rise and fill that deep dent, and if allowed to do this, then the bread no longer looks like the Guatemalan Pan Francés, but instead becomes a single blob. Not Good. And not everyone has a handy baker's couche.
For a home baker, with less experience of making these breads, I was determined to get them right, and after seeing on many videos how very important it was to make that center in the line of breads is deep enough to stay open, I worked at it. Most videos show that once the line of usually 6 sets of breads (6 is easier for the home baker to manipulate). Once the set is formed and that center line pressed wide and flat, entire set of breads is lifted and flipped over onto a good bed of flour. The set is flipped back upright to rise, but even then, if the center line starts puffing, flatten it again with the side of the hand or a rolling pin and sprinkle more flour into the crease. This center crease has to be much wider than one would think. Make sure it is at least 1½-inches wide, minimum.
In a bowl, mix flour, yeast, sugar and salt together. Add in the lard and the water, reserving some of the water aside in case it is not needed. Begin stirring with wooden spoon or hands, incorporating the dry ingredients and lard together. Once dough comes together, turn out onto a clean, floured surface and begin kneading. Adjust the dough with more flour or more water if needed. The dough should be tacky, but not outright sticky after a few minutes of kneading. Knead the dough until it forms a windowpane: take a piece of the dough and stretch it wide between the hands. It should be able to hold without tearing and stretch thinly enough to show light through it. For me, this took 16 minutes.
Frances Bread Stock Photos
Grease a clean bowl and set the dough into the bowl, turning over once to grease both sides. Cover the bowl with plastic film and set aside to rise until nearly doubled. This can take 40 minutes to 1+ hours, depending on the ambient temperature.
Begin breaking off portions of dough from 1.5 to 1.75 ounces each. Each of these portions will be one set of breads. Take one portion and form it into a tight ball, then set on the work space and using the side of your hand, press and roll back and forth in the center, to form two conjoined lumps. Ensure there is plenty of space between the lumps, but without breaking the balls apart. Set aside, then begin again with another piece of dough, form a tight ball and roll with side of hand to make two nicely separate, conjoined lumps. Set this second set againstthe first. Repeat until you have 6 sets of dough, lined up with the centers aligned. Use a rolling pin and rock it slightly down the center length to ensure good separation. Create a heavily floured area the size of the dough set and lift the entire set of 6 and flip it upside down onto the heavy flour. Flip it back over, right side upwards. press the center again, with hands or rolling pin, and then sprinkle flour down the center line. Place the set of Pan Francés onto one of the prepared pans, to one side.
Repeat this process with the remaining dough balls. There should be a minimum of 4 sets of 6 breads, though there could be an off-number set left.
Recipe: Back To The Basics With Bread
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. On a rack at the top of the oven, set an oven safe pan for steam-water.
Once oven is ready, have one cup of boiling water ready at hand. Set one tray of bread into the oven on center or lower rack. Quickly, pour the cup of boiling water into the steam pan on upper rack. Close the oven door and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until golden brown.
With more trays, repeat adding boiling water to the steam pan on upper rack, then bake additional trays for the sameamount of time.
Flourless Brown Rice Yeast Bread (no Oil, No Psyllium)
My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors onFacebook, andPinterest.
Labels: A Harmony of Flavors, bread baking, ethnic baking, French bread, Guatemalan Bread, how to form Pan Frances, making Pan Frances, pan francesMexican Bolillos( Crusty Rolls) are the most famous savory bread in the country, and here I will teach you how to make them. Many years ago, long before the Internet era, my dear college friend Alma sent me an important letter. I could feel her excitement for the little surprise she was sending in that letter. It had two recipes, one for the famous sweet bread (“conchas”) and the other for the bolillos.
She described how she spent an entire Saturday at her neighborhood bakery learning how to make bolillos and wanted to share the recipes with me, knowing how much I enjoyed cooking. When I started to work with this recipe, my bread was a mess, but throughout the years, with practice and tweaking the recipes, I finally had bread that resembled the one sold in Mexico.
Pão Francês (brazilian Bread Rolls)
I still have to keep practicing with it since it’s not that easy to make bread, precisely like those sold in bakeries in a home oven without the commercial flours and enhancers, but the texture, smell, and even the crunchy sound of the bolillos are there.
This bread is also known as “Pan Francés, ”; which is the equivalent of a French baguette. With the French intervention around the 1860s, the recipe was transformed and became the Mexican bread “bolillo”. It is also known as “Birote” and “pan Blanco” in some areas of the country.
In Mexico, bolillos are consumed daily as molletes , tortas (Mexican Sandwiches), and even to make mole poblano and capirotada. Another favorite way to eat it is by slicing the bolillo bread with a sharp knife and toasting it with butter on a comal or pan. Toasted bolillos with butter (Pan con mantequilla) is my Mother’s favorite way to eat it, next to a cup of coffee.
Awesome Children's Books, Part 5: Bread And Jam For Frances
Note: To shape the bolillos, place your hands over the dough and press gently but firmly, cupping your fingers,
0 Komentar