Love-Making in the Kitchen: Where Food Goes Beyond the Boundary of Hunger: Bread Fananza!

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Bread Fananza!

From bottom, clockwise:
Saffron and Honey Potato Bread, Savory Potato Bread and Banana Bread

I went into a crazy baking spree today. I made three types of bread; Banana Bread, Savory Potato Bread and Saffron and Honey Potato Bread. I love baking bread over all other types of baking. There is nothing more certain and satisfying than being able to pent your anger onto a helpless ball of dough and know that it will pleasure all of your senses when it comes out of the oven-fresh and homemade. I love you Bread.
The recipe for the Banana Bread is from this website.
The recipe for the Savory Potato Bread is from here (I used Herb Mashed Potatoes).
The recipe for the Saffron with Honey Bread is included below (it's a variation of the Savory Potato Bread).

Banana Loaves

Saffron and Honey Potato Bread

Saffron and Honey Bread

1 cup plain mashed potatoes

Juice of half an orange

1 tbsp honey

1 ½ cup milk

1 pinch of Spanish Saffron

2 tsp orange zest

1 tbsp honey

5 tsp active dry yeast

1 cup warm water

1 tsp sugar

5 cups flour plus extra for dusting

1 egg

4 tbsp milk

Heat milk, saffron, zest and honey in a small saucepan. DO NOT BOIL. Remove from heat and cool down to room temperature.

Place active dry yeast and sugar in a bowl. Add in warm water and whisk to dissolve. Set aside for 10 minutes.

In the mixer bowl, mix orange juice, honey and plain mash potatoes with a dough hook on low speed (or use a wooden spoon). Add in the cooled milk mixture and activated yeast mixture. Mix on a low-medium speed with the dough hook until all ingredients is incorporated then gradually add in the flour, one cup at a time. Mix until a ball of rough dough forms. Stop mixer and turn dough onto a clean and flour dusted surface. Knead 5 times, shape into a ball and place in an oiled bowl. Let rest for 1 hour until doubled in size.

When doubled in size, turn onto a floured surface and gently knead 3-4 times.

Divide into two balls, and roll each ball out into a rope. Place ropes side by side and twist from center until you real the ends. Tuck ends to the bottom, transfer to a baking sheet, cover and let rest for 1 hour.

Uncover and brush with a mixture of milk and egg.

Bake at 350 degrees Celsius for 35-40 minutes.