Pittas {Radical Times}

There are many times in my life I told myself I couldn’t do something because I clearly didn’t have the skills to do it. And sometimes that is totally the case, I don’t have the skills to take apart a car engine and put it back together again. Now if I took the time and learned the skills to do just that, take apart and put back together a car engine then I could and I might. 

This is how I’ve felt, amongst other things, about making bread. I’ve been told how easy making bread is, but when I tried the first couple times it didn’t really turn out well. So, then I just assumed it’s something I’m not very good at. 

The more I have courage to attempt bread bakes the better I’m getting at them aka I’m gaining/learning the skills needed to make bread. So, when I stumbled across a recipe (more on that in the next post) that asked for pittas I thought to myself why not make them myself!? 


It was a radical idea at the time, trust me. 

It took a lot for me not to go out and buy some instead. I told myself no, I said to myself “You said you were going to make them so you’re going to make them!” Just so everyone knows it’s really okay to talk to yourself especially when encouraging yourself to do something you know you can do and you’re just trying to get away with taking the easy way out. 

I wasn’t going to make pittas on my own so I went to my trusted bread book titled: Simply Good: Bread by Peter Sidwell. Yup forget Mr. Hollywood Peter really knows what’s what. I also love his Simply Good: Pasta book, just so you know. 

It really couldn’t be easier. The first batch I put in the oven actually were better then the first as I rolled them out a bit thinner and the second batch were a bit thicker and didn’t balloon the same way. Those I just toast and cut up and dip in hummus! 

Pittas

500g strong white bread flour

1 1/4 teaspoon salt

300 ml water

1 tsp fast-action yeast

1 1/2 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoon olive oil

In a big bowl stir the flour and salt together. Measure the water in a measuring jug and mix in the yeast, sugar, and olive oil. Make a well in the middle of the flour and pour in the liquid mixture. Using a spatula or wooden spoon start to bring the dough together, then use your hand until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl. Lightly flour your work top and transfer dough from the bowl to the work top and knead for about 5-10 minutes. Mine took exactly 7, it should be smooth and springy. 
Leave to rise in a warm room for 30-40 minutes about 10 minutes before it’s due to be risen, heat the oven to 200C and line two baking sheets, I baked them in two batches, but you could bake them in one. 

Once the dough is doubled in size, knock it back by gently kneading it for several seconds, on a floured work top. Divide the dough into 12 portions as best you can. Carefully roll the portions in your hands to make an oval shape (like if you were making a snake with Play-Doh) then roll them out with a rolling pin until they are about the thickness of a pound coin or 1/2 cm. 

Place them on the prepared baking sheets and bake in the heated oven for 5-10 minutes. As I mentioned I made them in two batches so while the first 6 were in the oven I was rolling out the other 6. The should turn golden brown along the edges and balloon up; which gives you a pocket to fill with whatever you want!

This is how I filled mine... I'm writing all about it in my next post, so look out for it!

notes: recipe is adapted from Peter Sidwell’s Simply Good Bread as mentioned above. I have also linked it up with the Bready Steady Go challenge hosted by Utterly Scrummy Food and Jen's Food!

Sweet Potato & Sweet Smoked Paprika Bread

This summer has been pretty disappointing. We had some glorious weather early on and that was about it. With the cooler weather lately I have already been thinking of fall/autumn flavors. Dinner has already started changing from chicken salads and sandwiches to creamy delicious macaroni and cheese and cottage pies! If dinner is already changing why not my baking!

With bread being the star of The Great British Bake Off this week, plus I just received a new bread book, and I had a whole bag of strong white flour in my cupboard I thought I’d make a loaf of bread! With fall/autumn like weather I decided to go with a sweet potato and paprika flavored bread.

You know how when decorating a room you either have plain walls with decorative accessories or you have fun wall paper and plan accessories. That’s how bread is. You either have plain bread with flavor packed toppings or flavor packed bread with butter or for dipping in soup. If done tastefully you can decorate a room with wallpaper and colorful accessories and that goes for bread too. If you know how to pair it just right you get yummy fillings/toppings to go with your flavor packed bread.

Well, after that load of ramble here is how I made this loaf of Sweet Potato and Paprika bread. The recipe comes from Simply Good Bread: Delicious home-baked recipes for everyone by Peter Sidwell. Somewhat adapted as my method varied from his direct instructions. The title says it all the recipes all seem pretty simple and easy for everyone. There are even instructions for those who are using a bread maker.

Sweet Potato & Sweet Smoked Paprika bread

200g sweet potatoes, baked/soft
500g strong white bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fast action yeast (about 1/2 of a 7g sachet)
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
300ml water
1 tablespoon smoked sweet paprika

Start by baking the potato(s) and mashing them. Set aside.
Mix the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. In a measuring jug measure the water before adding the yeast, sugar, and paprika - stir to combine.
Make a well in the centre of the flour/salt and pour the liquid mixture in the middle. Add the mashed potatoes before using a spatula gently bring the dry and liquid ingredients together before using your hands to start to work the dough. Once it starts to come away from the bowl tip out on to a well floured surface and knead for 5-10 minutes. The dough is sticky so keep floured and have a dough scraper near by.
Once kneaded place back in the bowl and leave to rise until doubled in size should take 30-40 minutes in a warm place.
When it’s ready gently tip it out and knock it back or gently knead for about a minute. Then place in a 1kg or 2lb loaf tin, grease if it’s not non-stick. Leave to double in size while you pre-heat the oven to 200C.
Bake in the heated oven for 40 minutes until golden brown on top. Gently tip the loaf out and knock on the bottom, if it sounds hallow then it’s ready. If not cook for 5-10 more minutes.
Slice and enjoy!

notes: I hope break week on The Great British Bake Off encourages you to give bread a go! If you do you should enter it into Jen’s Food and Utterly Scrummly’s Bread Challenge - Bready Steady Go! I did!

To see a few other books I recently added to my bookshelf beside's Mr. Sidwell's check out my last post here!

Bath Buns

It goes without saying that I was inspired to make these bath buns by my recent trip to Bath. I like playing the role of tourist ever once in a while. In some ways I still am a tourist. I am not a British citizen, but a guest who has paid quite a lot of money to stay as a permanent resident. Unless I leave for more then two years, then it’s void. So, one could say I am still a tourist. 

The other form of inspiration comes from Jane Austen's books Persuasion and Northanger Abbey; her heroines, in both titles, spend some time in Bath. It is also rumoured that Miss Austen enjoyed a good Bath Bun from time to time. 

While we were visiting Bath we did try Bath Buns from a tea room of he same name. They were good, but these were better. It’s not because I’m some great bun baker; I am still finding my way with bread and yeast risen bakes. I would say it’s because they were fresh … anything fresh out of the oven is usually better then something that came out of the oven that morning or perhaps even the day before. 

I’m really not trying to be rude about bakery’s because I love a good bakery, they are professionals and I’m just a home experimental baker. I just think home baked goods have a different feel/taste to them! 

The sugar cube in the middle of these sweet buns is what makes them a Bath Bun. There are several variations such as sugar covered caraway seeds, sultanas or raisins, or candied fruit peel. I however kept them simple and just used sugar! Sugar is good for you in moderation! 

Bath Buns

7g dried yeast 

250ml milk, tepid

450g strong white flour 

30g sugar

1 tsp salt

225g butter, softened 

12 demerara sugar cubes 

1 egg, beaten

Stir the yeast into the milk and set aside. Mix the flour, sugar, and salt and work in the butter until it resembles bread crumbs. You can use a stand mixer for this, as I did. Stir in the yeast/milk which should look a little bubbly by now, with a wooden spoon until completely mixed together. This is a wet dough, now leave to rest for 10 minutes.  

Since I used my mixer here is what I did: 

After letting the dough rest, using my dough hook I kneaded the wet dough for about 5-6 minutes, before tipping it out on to a floured work surface and finished kneading by hand for another 4-5 minutes until the dough was smooth and elastic. As it was a wet dough I liked using my mixer first as it kept it from being too sticky, but as I’m learning more about kneading I wanted to feel the dough, hence the stopping early. IF you are doing one or the other in the mixer do not knead for more then 8 minutes and if doing it by hand about start by stretching it out in the bowl before kneading it on a floured work surface for 10 minutes.

Place the smooth and elastic dough in a large bowl and leave for an hour to an hour and a half in a warm place until it’s doubled in size. 
Once it has risen, turn it gently out on to a clean work surface and knock it back by gently punching it. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces as best you can. I start by dividing it in half and then each half into six. Roll the pieces into balls, by cupping the dough in your hand and gently rolling it on the work surface until it become ball shaped. 
With the dough ball seam side up press a sugar cube into the dough and fold the dough around it so it’s completely enclosed. If needed re-roll into balls and place on a prepared baking sheet seam side down. Repeat with all 12, cover with a clean damp towel and leave to rise in a warm place for 30 minutes or until doubled in size. 

Heat the oven to 190C. Once doubled in size brush the beaten egg over the buns and bake for 15-20 minutes until they are starting to turn golden and sound hallow when tapped. 

to finish:

Milk Glaze: 1 tbsp milk & 2 tbsp sugar

Sugar Topping: demerara sugar cubes, smashed 

Prepare the milk glaze when the buns are just about to come out of the oven, by gently heating the milk and sugar in a small saucepan until he sugar has dissolved. Once they are out of the oven cover the buns with the milk glaze before topping with crushed sugar cubes. 

notes: the recipe is adapted from Jamie’s Magazine Issue 27 Mar/Apr 12 it can also be found online here. My Bath experience was posted yesterday and can be read here. 

challenges: Bready Steady Go hosted by Jen’s Food along with Utterly Scrummy 

White Chocolate Chip Fruity Brioche Muffins

Perhaps I should call them Bruffins or something? Start a new mash-up trend! Mash-up’s are fun, but what makes a mash-up? This is brioche made in a muffin tin and therefore looks like a muffin. It also has common muffin ingredients like the chocolate chips and dried fruit. Works for me as a mash-up, however, I will still call it a Chocolate Chip Fruity Brioche Muffin. No, bruffins here! Or worse Muioche’s … not even sure how one would pronounce that.

Also I am sure somewhere out there in the foodie world someone else has made brioche in their muffin pan/tin way before me. In this world of food it’s hard to be completely original.

Inspiration comes from everywhere. A recipe I found in a magazine a couple years ago inspired these brioche muffins. As I become a more confident baker I am able to change and adapt recipes to suit my tastes and needs.

 It was this recipe clipping and my recent baking day with my friend Jen, fellow baker and blogger, that encouraged me to make these deliciously light, chocolaty, and fruity brioche muffins!

They were loved and enjoyed by everyone who tried one, which was me, my daughters, me, one of the neighbors, and me again…. Sweetbreads are dangerous in this house!

To bring the danger to yours here’s how I made them. I used a stand mixer, but you don’t need one.

White Chocolate Chip Fruity Brioche Muffins

100g mixed dried fruit; cranberries, cherries, blueberries, strawberries

1-2 tsp vodka (or juice)

500g ‘00’ flour, sifted

100g golden caster sugar

2 x7g sachets fast action yeast

pinch of salt

200ml milk, gently warmed

3 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

150g unsalted butter, very soft and cubed

100g white chocolate chips

100g white chocolate, melted

Soak the dried fruit in vodka or juice and set aside. Sift the flour directly in the stand mixer bowl or in a large bowl and add the sugar, yeast, and a pinch of salt. Be sure to put the salt and yeast on separate sides of the bowl. Salt can kill the yeast.
In a jug combine the milk, which should be warm to the touch you don’t want it too hot as it too could kill the yeast, too cold and it won’t work either, gently whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract. Attach the dough hook and start mixing on low. Slowly add the liquid mixture. Use a wooden spoon to first bring the mixture together before kneading by hand. Mix in the mixer for 10 minutes, knead for about 10 minutes give or take a few minutes. It should be soft and stringy.
While the mixer is still running or while you’re kneading slowly add the butter cube by cube. Make sure each cube is completely incorporated before adding the next. The dough should look glossy. Place in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a clean damp towel and leave to rise for one hour or until doubled in size.

Lightly grease each muffin indent with butter. Once the dough has risen gently knock it back, still in the bowl, by pressing your fist into it. Dust the counter top with a little bit of flour before turning out the dough onto the surface and give it another knock or two before folding in the dried fruit and chocolate chips.
Divide the dough into 12 pieces and using your fingertips fold each dough piece into a little ball before dropping into the prepared muffin tin/pan indents. Cover again with a clean damp towel, I used shot glasses to prop up the towel so it wasn't resting directly on the pan. Leave for an hour a little more or less until the dough has doubled in size.

Heats the oven to 190C, once heated bake the brioche muffins for 20-25 minutes until toasty brown on the top. They should feel slightly hollow when tapped.

Melt the white chocolate in your preferred melting method, either in a heatproof bowl over simmering water or in the microwave, be sure to check in 5 or 10 second intervals. Gently spoon the melted chocolate over the cooled brioche muffins.

notes: this recipe is adapted from Jamie Magazine issue 44 December 2013. 

These Brioche Muffins have been entered in these challenges:

Bready Steady Go – hosted by Jen's Food with Utterly Scrummy 

Recipe Clippings – with Farmersgirl Kitchen

ABC Bakes – hosted by Caroline Makes with the more than occasional baker (brought to us by the letter 'B'. B is for Brioche)