Flower Pot Bread

I thought it would be fun to make Spring Flower Pot Bread using earthenware clay pots as molds. Even though I used an easy and basic yeast bread, once the bread is baked in the flower pots, it makes a whimsical presentation for a Mother's Day brunch or for any special occasion.

Preparing the clay pots for baking:

Before you can use clay pots for baking bread, the pots need to be tempered. The method I used is a little different than the instructions in the recipe, but I found that baking the pots a little longer helped temper them better.

Be sure to use food-grade clay pots:

Brush clean, new pots liberally inside and out with oil and place in a hot oven (about 400°F) for about 30 minutes. For convenience, you can do this while you're cooking something else. Repeat this process several times until the pots are impregnated with oil. They can then be used for baking bread and will need very little greasing. "BREAD: The breads of the world and how to bake them at home" by Christine Ingram and Jennie Shapter.

Flower Pot Bread
Makes: 3 loaves

"Flower Pot Bread on Spring Menu," Amy Vanderbilt, Los Angeles Times, May 29, 1969 (p.F8)

I found the recipe on the Food Timeline http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodbreads.html#flowerpot)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups milk
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons shortening
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 envelopes dry yeast
• 6 cups sifted flour
• Melted shortening (or cooking spray)

Directions:

1) Wash and thoroughly grease three red clay flowerpots 5-inch wide and 5-inch deep. Bake pots at 375 deg. 5 to 10 minutes. Repeat the process. (Or, follow the process listed above)

2) Scald milk in saucepan. Remove from heat and add 3 tablespoons sugar, shortening and salt. Stir until shortening is melted, then cool to lukewarm. Combine lukewarm water, 2 teaspoons sugar and yeast, then stir in 4 cups flour and beat well. Add remaining flour and mix well. This is a sticky dough.

3) Transfer dough to a lightly greased bowl and brush the top with melted shortening (or spray with cooking spray). Cover with waxed paper (or plastic wrap) and towel and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 to 45 minutes. I covered my dough with plastic wrap then a towel and let is rise on the counter.

4) Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead lightly. Divide dough into three equal parts and place in well-greased flower pots.

Even though I tempered the pots really well, I still find it helpful to grease them before placing the dough in them. The bread usually comes out clean this way.

5) Cover the pots with plastic wrap and let the loaves rest in a warm place until doubled in bulk.

6) Bake at 375 degrees F. for 35 to 40 minutes.

I put the pots on a baking sheet to bake.  When the tops started to brown, I tented them with foil to keep them from burning.  I baked the loaves for about 35 minutes then tested them with a skewer to make sure they were done.

7) Let the finished loaves cool in the pot for about 10 – 15 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.  This helps prevent the loaves from tearing when you remove them from the pots.

Serve in pots using real or fake flowers "growing" from them.

I put the loaves back in the pots to serve since they make such a pretty presentation. I gave one to my mother and one to my sister and kept one for myself. The bread is actually very tasty. It tastes great with butter or jam.


Happy Baking!
Cathy

Buttermilk Dutch Oven Bread

Buttermilk Dutch Oven Bread is a no knead yeast bread so it requires a longer fermentation time to achieve the best flavor and texture. You start the process the first day and allow it to rest in the refrigerator for 10 hours and then sit for another 12 to 18 hours at cool room temperature.

The bread is big and puffy, crusty, and faintly tangy. The dough is baked in a lidded Dutch oven so it should spring up a lot and be light and airy. For added appeal, the top of the loaf can be sprinkled with coarse salt.


Buttermilk Pot Bread with Coarse Salt
Makes: 1 large loaf, 12 to 14 wedges or slices

Adapted from Kneadlessly Simple by Nancy Baggett.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus 1/2 cup, more as needed
• 2 T. sugar
• Scant 1 3/4 T. salt (increase to 2 tsp. if coarse salt garnish is omitted)
• 3/4 tsp. instant yeast
• Oil for coating dough
• 1 3/4 cups plus 2 T. iced buttermilk, plus more if needed
• 2 T. unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 3/4 tsp. coarse salt for garnish, optional

Directions:

First Rise:

Mix 4 cups of flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in a large bowl. Stir the buttermilk into the bowl, and scrape down the sides until the ingredients are completely blended.

If the mixture is too dry, stir in just enough more ice water (or buttermilk) to blend the ingredients.  Do not over moisten. The dough should be slightly stiff. If necessary, stir in enough flour to firm it a bit. Brush or spray the top with oil.



Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for 3 to 10 hours. Then let it rise at cool room temperature for 12 to 18 hours. I placed the dough in a clean bowl and put it in the refrigerator overnight.




Second Rise:

We'll move on to the second rise later today. The dough is sitting on the counter resting right now.





Okay, it's been 12 hours so it's time to finish this baby. It's definitely doubled in size.




For the second rise, vigorously stir the butter into the dough until it is evenly and thoroughly incorporated. I used a wooden spoon for this part, but you can use the dough hook on your stand mixer if you prefer.



Then, thoroughly incorporate the remaining 1/2 cup flour, plus enough more flour to make the dough very stiff.




Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Lift and fold the dough towards the center all the way around. Evenly brush or spray the dough top with oil. Cover the bowl with nonstick spray -- coated plastic wrap.




For the final rise, let the dough rise for 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 hours at warm room temperature; Continue the rise until the dough doubles from its original size, removing the plastic if the dough nears it.





Baking Preliminaries: 20 minutes before baking time, put a rack in the lower third of the oven; preheat to 450 degrees. Heat a 4-quart Dutch oven or similar heavy metal pot in the oven until sizzling hot (check with a few drops or water), then remove it, using heavy mitts.




Loosen the dough from the bowl sides with an oiled rubber spatula and gently invert it into the pot. Don't worry if it's ragged-looking; it should even out during baking. Lightly spritz or brush the dough top with water.




Sprinkle coarse salt over the top and make a large, 1/4-inch-deep X with well-oiled kitchen shears.




Immediately place the lid on the pot and shake the pot back and forth to center the dough.




Baking: Lower the temperature to 425 degrees F.. Bake on the lower rack for 50 to 55 minutes or until the loaf is puffed and firm on top.

If the loaf is nicely browned, continue baking with the lid on; if the loaf looks pale, remove the lid. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes longer, until the top is well browned and crusty and a skewer inserted in the thickest part comes out with just a few crumbs on the tip (or until center registers 205 to 207 degrees on an instant-read thermometer). Then, bake for 5 to 10 minutes.

Remove the loaf to the rack. Cool thoroughly.

Serving: Cut the loaf into wedges or crosswise slices.  It tastes good warm, but it will cut much better when cool. Cool completed before storing.

Storing: To maintain the crisp crust, store the loaf draped with a clean tea towel or in a heavy paper bag. Or store airtight in a plastic bag or wrapped in foil:

The crust will soften, but can be crisped by heating the loaf, uncovered, in a 400 degrees oven for a few minutes. The bread will keep at room temperature for 3 days, and may be frozen, airtight, for up to 2 months.


Happy Baking!
Cathy

Easy Whole Wheat Bread

This delicious whole wheat sandwich bread is made with buttermilk and honey and is great toasted and served with marmalade or jam.


This bread really is easy and I'll tell you why.

I wanted to go visit a friend of mine today but I also wanted to get this bread baked. I decided I could do both with a little planning. I combined all of the ingredients using my stand mixer, then transferred the dough to a large bowl to rise. I went to visit my friend (who lives an hour away), with the bread rising in the bowl in the car. Once I got to his house, I put the bread in the loaf pans and let them rise for another hour and then baked the loaves. The bread turned out great! Believe me, my friend was only too happy to help test taste it. We ate it toasted with pear preserves! It was so good.


Whole Wheat Bread Recipe
Makes: 2 9-by-5-inch loaves

Adapted from Bread by Williams-Sonoma.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
• Pinch of brown sugar
• 1 cup warm water (105º - 115ºF)
• 1 1/2 cups tepid buttermilk (90ºF)
• 1/4 cup maple syrup, honey, or light molasses
• 1/4 cup  canola oil, plus extra for greasing
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 3 cups freshly milled whole wheat flour from organic hard red winter wheat
• 1/2 – 3/4 cup organic white whole wheat milled from hard white spring wheat
• 3 cups bread flour

Directions:

Add the warm water to a small bowl and sprinkle the yeast and brown sugar over it. Stir to dissolve. Let the mixture stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the buttermilk, maple syrup, oil, salt, and 2 cups of the whole wheat flour.  Beat on low speed until creamy, about 1 minute.

Gradually add in the yeast mixture and the remaining whole wheat flour and beat for 1 minute. Add in the bread flour, 1/2 cup at a time, and mix until the dough pulls away from the bowl sides.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured counter and knead it until it is smooth and slightly sticky.  Or, knead the dough in the machine, about 5 minutes. Add in extra flour, 1 tablespoon at a time as necessary to form a workable dough.

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and turn it to coat it with oil.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1 - 1 1/2 hours.

Lightly grease two loaf pans. Then transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface.

Divide in half and pat each piece into a long rectangle. Fold 1 rectangle like a letter, overlapping the short sides in the middle; press to flatten.

Bring the other end up and press again to flatten.

Beginning at the narrow end, tightly roll up the dough into a thick log.

Roll the log back and forth with your palms until it is the same length as the pan. Pinch the ends and the long seam to seal. Place the loaf, seam side down, in a prepared pan, tucking the ends under to make a neat, snug fit. Repeat with the second portion.

Cover with plastic again and let it rise until it is about 1 inch above the rim of each pan, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Bake until the loaves are golden brown and pull away from the pan sides, 35-40 minutes. Place the loaves on wire racks and let them cool completely.

There!  That was easy!  I hope you enjoy this bread as much as we did.
 
Happy Baking!
Cathy

Rustic European Whole Wheat Bread

This rustic European-style loaf is made with whole wheat and walnuts. The bread is round shaped and slightly porous. It is a rather wet dough so it’s best to form it by the sink so you can wet your hands frequently to keep the dough from sticking.

To begin the process, you make an Italian biga in the bread machine and let it sit overnight. Use 1/3 cup of the biga and mix the rest of the ingredients using the dough setting on the bread machine.

Using the bread machine definitely makes the dough easier to work with. After about 20 minutes in the bread machine, we'll take the dough out and let it rise and bake in the La Cloche. Or, if you prefer, you can use a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and tented with foil to rise then bake it on a baking stone.


Italian Biga for Wheat Breads

Adapted from: Rustic European Breads from Your Bread Machine by Linda West Eckhardt and Diana Collingwood Butts

Note: The longer you allow the biga or homemade starter to stand, the more sour the flavor will become. 

Ingredients:

• 1/4 teaspoon bread machine yeast
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons spring water
• 1 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons organic bread flour

Directions:

Add the yeast, water, and flour to the bread machine pan and process on the dough setting until the starter has mixed for 5 minutes, then turn off the bread machine.

Let the biga sit in the bread machine or in a covered jar overnight, or for a minimum of 10 hours. I let my biga sit for 12 hours before using it in the recipe.

Remove the starter to a 2-quart glass or plastic storage container. Cover it tightly and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Alternatively, store it in the warm kitchen for a few days, stirring from time to time to further "sour" the taste. Feed this starter as you would any other: Add 1/2 cup each organic bread flour and spring water, knead thoroughly, cover, and set aside n the warm kitchen overnight or until it becomes bubbly and active again.


A Rustic Round of Whole Wheat and Walnuts

Adapted from: Rustic European Breads from Your Bread Machine by Linda West Eckhardt and Diana Collingwood Butts

Makes: one 1 1/2-pound loaf

Ingredients:

• 1/2 teaspoon bread machine yeast
• 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
• 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons bread flour
• 1/3 cup Italian biga
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 3/4 cups water
• 1/2 cup black walnuts or English walnuts if black are not available, or more to taste.

Directions:

Add the yeast, flours, biga, salt, and water to the bread machine pan.

Process on the dough setting just until mixed and kneaded, about 20 minutes.



Remove the dough from the pan to a large, lightly greased bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and set to rise for 4 hours, or until tripled in bulk.




Note: The dough can be left alone to rise in the refrigerator overnight or for as long as 24 hours if need be. If you leave it in the refrigerator for the long, cool rise, bring it back to room temperature before shaping.

Lightly flour a work surface close to your sink. With wet hands, scoop the tripled dough out of the bowl onto the work surface.

This is the scooped dough. Although mine sort of just plopped out.

Flatten it into a 12-inch disk.  Sprinkle the surface with the walnuts



Press them into the dough with flat palms.  Pull the sides of the dough into the middle and form a tight, smooth ball.



Line a rimless cooking sheet with parchment paper and coat it lightly with flour.  Place the dough ball on the parchment paper and tent it with heavy-duty aluminum foil or cover with a large bowl, making sure the dough has plenty of room to rise and will not touch the foil or bowl and stick.

The dough was really wet and I didn't want to add additional flour so I decided to let it rise and bake in the La Cloche rather than putting it on a baking sheet to rise.




Let the dough rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk.

Thirty minutes before baking, preheat the oven with a baking stone (if using) in place to 450 degrees F.

When the loaf has doubled, carefully slide the parchment paper with the dough on it onto the hot stone. After about 15 minutes, pull the paper out from under the loaf to help insure a crisp bottom.

Bake until browned and crusty, 30 to 35 minutes. Since I baked the loaf in the La Cloche, I let it bake about 40 minutes.



Cool the bread completely on a rack.  It will keep in a brown paper bag for up to 4 days.

This loaf is delicious! Crusty on the outside, but chewy on the inside.



This bread is very good by itself. In fact, I made a meal of it. It's very hearty (and healthy for that matter), but not too heavy. It tastes great warm with butter or you can spread other yummy stuff on it. I prefer just butter.

Happy Baking!
Cathy

Greek Easter Bread

Greek Easter bread is braided and contains hard boiled eggs, dyed red for fertility, symbolizing the Resurrection of Christ.

 

A funny thing happened on the way to the family Easter dinner...

I started making this bread Saturday morning to take to my family's Easter celebration that afternoon. I was running late so I decided to let it rise in the car and bake it once I got to my sister's house. I had to hold onto the baking pan to keep the loaf from sliding off. It slid a couple of times and I was able to catch it. I kept saying "will you just cooperate?". It decided to have the last word. It slid completely off the seat. I couldn't catch in time. It stayed on the parchment and was still covered, but it was ruined.

I was soooo mad that I balled the dough up and threw it down on the baking pan. I decided I didn't care. We just wouldn't have any bread for dinner. I kept driving down the road mad at the world. Then, I started laughing my head off at myself.  You can’t get mad at bread. It was then that I realized I could just reshape it and let is rise again. So that's what I did.

The moral of the story is when you think all is lost, it usually isn't. You just need to laugh and try again!

 

Greek Easter Twist
Makes: 2 Loaves
From Breads from Betsy's Kitchen by Betsy Oppenneer.

Ingredients:

• 2 scant tablespoons or 2 (1/4-ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water (about 110 degrees)
• 1 cup warm milk (about 110 degrees)
• 1 cup soft butter
• 4 large eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 tablespoon crushed anise seed
• 1 tablespoon orange peel
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 6 to 7 cups unbleached flour
• 8 to 12 hard-boiled eggs, dyed bright red
  

Glaze

• 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water
• Coarse sugar or sesame seeds

 

Preparation:

1) Hard boil 8 to 12 eggs. I used about 8 eggs but you can use more if you like.

2) Dye the eggs red. I've never dyed Easter eggs red before. Very interesting and beautiful!

Directions:

Stir the yeast into warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the milk, butter, eggs, honey, anise seed, orange peel, salt, and 3 cups flour and beat vigorously for two minutes.

Gradually add in the flour, 1/4 cup a a time, until the dough begins to pull away from the side of the bowl. Turn dough out onto a floured work surface. Knead, adding flour a little at a time, until you have a smooth, elastic dough.

Put dough into an oiled bowl and turn to coat it with oil. Cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let rise until doubled in size, about one hour.



Turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled work surface and divide in four pieces.




Shape each fourth into a 30-inch strand.




Twist strands together and pinch the ends together.





Spread the dough and insert four to six eggs evenly spaced between the strands.  Place onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining two strands.




Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until almost doubled, about 45 minutes.

About 10 minutes before baking, preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Just before baking, brush each loaf lightly with the glaze and sprinkle with the coarse sugar or seeds.





Bake for 25 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the loaf reaches 190 degrees. Immediately remove the bread from baking sheets and cool on a wire rack.

This is the loaf I took to my sister's house. It turned out great even though I had to reshape it.




This is the second loaf that I made a couple of days later. I put the dough in the refrigerator and took it out 2 days later and let it rise at room temperature before shaping. It did just fine. It amazes me how forgiving a lot of breads are. We should be more like that!




Happy Baking!
Cathy