Forum Thermomix
Thermomix Recipes for TM5 and TM31 => Bread => Topic started by: Paul on April 28, 2009, 09:40:41 am
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Here's my standby loaf of bread, a combination of ideas from Elizabeth David and Stephanie Alexander
Ingredients
- 400g white flour plus 100g freshly milled wheat or spelt grain (or you could use 250 each of white and grain flour, or all milled grain if you like, as long as the total is 500g)
- 1 dessert spoon dried yeast
- 1 dessert spoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- (optional) 1 tablespoon molasses
- 300ml lukewarm water - the exact amount varies with the flour
Method
Mill the grain and then add the dry ingredients and fritz for a few seconds at 4-5 to mix. Add water, oil and molasses (if using) and knead :: for about 5 minutes. Amazingly the action of the kneading seems to warm the dough even if you start with the water at room temperature. Let it rise for 90 minutes in a warm place covered, and then shape into a loaf. Leave to rise again for about 45 minutes. I cook it in 2 ways:
First method: In a loaf tin
15 minutes at 220 C
15 minutes at 200 C
Tip loaf out of tin onto side and cook for further 20 minutes at 180 C until base sounds hollow when tapped. You may need to cover the top with some aluminium foil if it browns too quickly.
Second method - in a Romertopf terra cotta cooker. If anyone has one of these, they are amazing as they release steam while cooking and the loaf grows to an incredible size. You have to soak them in water for 10 minutes prior to use, and the oven has to be cold to start with. For bread, I leave it in the sink with warm water with the freeform loaf sitting in the base of the Romertopf. I line the Romertopf with baking paper and butter so it doesn't stick. You put it in the oven cold with the loaf in the Romertopf with the lid on, and cook for 60 minutes on 220 C. The loaf rises further as the oven warms, and then starts to cook. After 60 minutes I lift it out and leave in the oven for another 5 minutes to completely brown. This method of cooking is called 'cloche' and allows a very steamy atmosphere. It's a bit of a fiddle but the bread is always spectacular and rises much more than with other methods.
I've always loved cooking bread and the ability to mill my own flour has made this so much fun!
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Here's my standby loaf of bread, a combination of ideas from Elizabeth David and Stephanie Alexander
Thanks Paul - if you base it on their works then you're halfway there. I share a birthday with Stephanie, but not her culinary skills.
Great post indeed - thanks.
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No worries, and I'm sure you're selling yourself short re the skills from reading your recipes. It's fun to experiment though, isn't it, and the thermomix is great for that.
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Paul, what grain mixes have you tried? Any mixed grain laoves with sprouting seeds?
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None with sprouting seeds, but I have added a poppyseed, linseed, sesame and pumpkin seed mix (basically whatever seeds I could buy) and it's nice, but often a bit crumbly.
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I made this using the Romertopf and it was simply scrumptious. Just wondering though if you should do a 2nd rising as it wasn't mentioned for the 2nd method? It made a lovely large loaf.
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I don't have a Römertopf, but I remember seeing a bread recipe on the net where the bread is baked in a cast iron pot. What do you reckon, Paul? Could this be used as well? The recipe sounds really easy and I agree that one of the best things about the Thermomix is being able to mill your own grain, so I'm definitely going to try this recipe out.
Update: I did try the recipe out today using 400g plain flour and 100g milled millet. To get some moisture into the cast iron casserole, I crumpled up some baking paper, held it under the tap to make it as soggy as possible and then pushed it up against the sides of the casserole dish. The dough rose 45 minutes in the casserole the second time and then I popped it into the pre-heated oven (200C, fan assisted) and baked the loaf for one hour with the lid on the whole time.
The loaf is brilliant. It rose really well, is beautifully brown and fluffy on the inside. This recipe is definitely a keeper.
Thanks, Paul ;D
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I don't have a Römertopf, but I remember seeing a bread recipe on the net where the bread is baked in a cast iron pot. What do you reckon, Paul? Could this be used as well? The recipe sounds really easy and I agree that one of the best things about the Thermomix is being able to mill your own grain, so I'm definitely going to try this recipe out.
Update: I did try the recipe out today using 400g plain flour and 100g milled millet. To get some moisture into the cast iron casserole, I crumpled up some baking paper, held it under the tap to make it as soggy as possible and then pushed it up against the sides of the casserole dish. The dough rose 45 minutes in the casserole the second time and then I popped it into the pre-heated oven (200C, fan assisted) and baked the loaf for one hour with the lid on the whole time.
The loaf is brilliant. It rose really well, is beautifully brown and fluffy on the inside. This recipe is definitely a keeper.
Thanks, Paul ;D
No worries V
It seems that any loaf under a cover rises well. Apparently you can also do it in a terra cotta flower pot. Interestingly, I have lately been using spelt and it doesn't rise as much as when I mill wheat grain. Fun to experiment though, isn't it?
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Apparently you can also do it in a terra cotta flower pot. ...... Fun to experiment though, isn't it?
You may be too young to remember Paul, but in Melbourne in the early 90s (?) some restaurants served little rolls that had been backed in terracotta flowerpots that were about 6 - 7 cm diam. I seem to recall Stephen Mercer in Eltham for one.
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Apparently you can also do it in a terra cotta flower pot. ...... Fun to experiment though, isn't it?
You may be too young to remember Paul, but in Melbourne in the early 90s (?) some restaurants served little rolls that had been backed in terracotta flowerpots that were about 6 - 7 cm diam. I seem to recall Stephen Mercer in Eltham for one.
I am certainly old enough to remember them TM! I seem to remember someone advising not to use plastic flowerpots - that would be a bit chewy. I left Melbourne in 1992, having spent a few years attending all the top restaurants in those days. I've been more into home cooked food than restaurant food since then, partly because the restaurant food in Cairns is largely (although not entirely) awful, and because through my reading I think self taught women cooks are better than any male chef. Which is why my food goddesses are Stephanie, Maggie, Jane, Claudia, Marcella and Mrs David. I don't think men can match women for generosity and nurturing. It's more empty display with the famous male chefs.
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I think that the man behind Gay's later successful years needs to be included in your list. Alice W may need to be added too?
Also have a soft spot for Cheong, Tetsuya and Philippe Mouchel, who along with Janni they are four of the most humble and generous chefs I have met. Actually, I must include Guy Grossi (off camera), Andrew McConnell, Greg Malouf, Dan Hunter, Ben Shewry, Frank Camora, George Biron, Philip Searle, Peter Doyle - chefs who I have met who are all really very humble and generous and nurturing.
Even Paul Bocuse (despite possible appeariances) is so humble, generous and nurturing - seriously so.
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Don't forget Fuschia. Also Sophie Grigson (daughter of Jane) is an excellent cook and writes good books... and there's Nigella Lawson in this country as well. However, I am also a great fan of Nigel Slater so I do think men can produce good things as well!
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I think that the man behind Gay's later successful years needs to be included in your list. Alice W may need to be added too?
Also have a soft spot for Cheong, Tetsuya and Philippe Mouchel, who along with Janni they are four of the most humble and generous chefs I have met. Actually, I must include Guy Grossi (off camera), Andrew McConnell, Greg Malouf, Dan Hunter, Ben Shewry, Frank Camora, George Biron, Philip Searle, Peter Doyle - chefs who I have met who are all really very humble and generous and nurturing.
Even Paul Bocuse (despite possible appeariances) is so humble, generous and nurturing - seriously so.
OK TM and Katya, I agree, there are some nice male cooks out there!
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i am so ignorant, i have no idea who most of these people are! (i am not into celebrity chef sort of stuff i guess)
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For those interested - Philippe Mouchel helps Gabriel Gate do the Taste of le Tour segments at the beginning of the evening (in Oz) broadcast of the Tour de France
Link: http://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipeindex/RecipeByTVShowMain/28/1/noperpage/93 (http://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipeindex/RecipeByTVShowMain/28/1/noperpage/93)
Tonight, it will be Frank Camorra, from MoVida, doing paellaas the Tour goes into Spain. He appears to be a fairly quiet and very humble chef - having met him again at a cooking class/dinner 2 weeks ago. He also cooked for my 40th birthday lunch ( pre-historic times !!) while he was working with the Grossi family.
Philippe has been doing these segments for a few years now ( and I a, almost certain he receives no money - he is generous)
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Any ideas about needing the 2nd rising? When I made it, I sat the dough within baking paper (no butter but will try this if it helps) in the Romertopf in a sink full of water while it rose. Do you think it needs to be knocked down for a second rising? (I'm being a little lazy because I haven't had time to make it again doing a 2nd rising but want to make another loaf in the next few days when I get a chance). Paul, this was lovely using the molasses as well which is a nice variation and gives that lovely brown colour. As a seasoned breakmaker, do you have any other bread recipes or is this the best one that you have come across so far and adapted?
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Any ideas about needing the 2nd rising? When I made it, I sat the dough within baking paper (no butter but will try this if it helps) in the Romertopf in a sink full of water while it rose. Do you think it needs to be knocked down for a second rising? (I'm being a little lazy because I haven't had time to make it again doing a 2nd rising but want to make another loaf in the next few days when I get a chance). Paul, this was lovely using the molasses as well which is a nice variation and gives that lovely brown colour. As a seasoned breakmaker, do you have any other bread recipes or is this the best one that you have come across so far and adapted?
I usually do knock it down before the second rising. If your using majority wholegrain (not white flour), you could forego the second rising and just bake it after one rise. This works very well when you use molasses and mostly whole grain. So it might be worth trying that. It's a bit crumbly but still very nice. I've got a really good rice bread recipe if you're interested - tastes like crumpets when it's toasted! And a few more.
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Paul, I would be really interested in the recipe for the loaf that tastes like crumpets when you have the time to post it ;D
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Paul, I would be really interested in the recipe for the loaf that tastes like crumpets when you have the time to post it ;D
OK, it's not a thermomix recipe though!
85g rice (any rice is fine)
250ml water
Strong plain flour 500g
15g salt
1 dessert spoon yeast
Cook the rice in a small saucepan by the absorption method (Cover it with enough water to reach the first joint of your little finger when resting on the rice in the saucepan. Bring to boil, then simmer for 20 minutes covered).
Let the rice cool for about 10 minutes, then mix it with the flour with the tips of your fingers. Add the 250ml of warm water, the salt and yeast and mix until it all comes together - no kneading, just until it mixes. The dough will be very soft and a bit sticky, that's fine. Leave it to rise for 90 minutes. Knock it down, add more flour if it is too soft and knead for a minute or so, not very long. Place it in a buttered loaf tin, leave it to rise again for 30-45 minutes and bake at 230 for 15 minutes, 200 for 15 minutes, then tip it out of the tin and bake on its side at 180 for 15 minutes. If the top starts to get too brown cover it with some foil at any time during the cooking.
It remains moist for ages and doesn't dry out like other bread. Toasted, it tastes to me like crumpets. Supposedly excellent for chicken sandwiches too.
Hope it works!
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:-* :-* :-* Thank you ;D Will print this out to try once I have finished with all the demo practice ;D ;D
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Yum (again) I make this all the time now, and everyone is impressed because it looks and tastes like it was "bought" -- am taking that as a compliment. I knock it down a second time, and it seems to improve the quality of the bread. Any leftovers get blitzed and put in the freezer for breadcrumbs later -- too good to waste. It would have to get a score of 9.5 from me.
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Yum (again) I make this all the time now, and everyone is impressed because it looks and tastes like it was "bought" -- am taking that as a compliment. I knock it down a second time, and it seems to improve the quality of the bread. Any leftovers get blitzed and put in the freezer for breadcrumbs later -- too good to waste. It would have to get a score of 9.5 from me.
It is a good one, isn't it? I freeze leftovers as crumbs too.
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Hi - Could someone give me a bit more info on cooking bread in a Rometopf? It sounds like a great way to go. Do you buy the covered unit? What size is best? Do you put a tin inside the covered unit? etc etc - I'm sure there are a few simple rules that will get me going!
Thanks
Barbara
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The Rometopf comes in two sizes that I am aware of, and I use the smaller size. After soaking the dish and lid in water for about 15 minutes you put the bread dough in (I use a big piece of baking paper to protect the dish as you cannot wash it with detergents) put the lid on, and then place in a cold oven to start with. You could Google Rometopf as that will offer a better explanation. As clay is porous, by soaking the dish prior to placing in the oven you create steam, and is a very ancient and healthy method. I made a loaf of this today using this method.
I started off using the smaller dish for roasts, but couldn't fit as many veges in as I wanted so I ended up buying the bigger size as well.
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http://www.petersofkensington.com.au/Product/ProductSearch.aspx?departmentSearch=-1&brandSearch=ROMERTOPF&search=
Which size of these for bread do you reckon?
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I'm pretty sure my small one is the Rustico (smallest) judging by the prices. I bought mine about 5 years ago so I am trying to remember... I can't work out which one would be the size of my largest....but I use the small one anyway for the bread ;)
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Thanks :)
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Made this on the weekend, using normal loaf tin, and I was so happy with the result. I've been wanting a simple wholemeal bread recipe, and I think I've found it! I didn't add molasses - not too keen on sweet bread. Fabulous crust, toasts really well - might try it in my le creuset next time for something a bit more fancy!
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wow! just when I thought I'd found posts on here to last almost ever up pops another one! This sounds fabulous! Many thanks, deedub, for bumping it for everyone! I enjoyed reading the exchange between Paul and Thermomixer - what a pity we don't seem to be hearing more from these lovely and knowledgeable people!! :D
Thanks, too, to Gert - whose incorrigible temptings and teasings on the Shopping Thread led to my getting the Rommertopf at a fabulously bargain price from good ol' PofK!! Love incorrigible!! Gert, I owe you . . . . ;D ;D
Moderators - would it be possible to give that other recipe that Paul posted - the loaf that tastes like crumpets - it's own thread - probably in the nonTMX section? - just a thought . . .
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Goldfish I've put it in bread. I did it on the iPad, my first copy and paste so I hope it went ok. Will check it tomorrow on the desk top.
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Many thanks, Cookie1 - appreciate that! :D