Brioche style breakfast loaf

 A crusty brioche style loaf for breakfast or an afternoon snack. Enjoy it fresh with butter and honey or toasted with your favourite home-made jam.

Ingredients:

• 550g T55 flour
• 200ml warm water
• 200ml warm milk
  
• 1 small egg
• 20g active yeast
• 1t salt
• 1/2t sugar
  

 

Method:
Pour the warmed water & milk into the bowl of a stand mixer, add the sugar and the active yeast. Allow to stand for about 15 minutes, until the yeast is "bubbly". With the dough hook attached, on the lowest setting, add the flour and the egg and mix until just combined, then add the salt. Continue mixing on the lowest setting until the dough is combined and forms a sticky ball. 

Cover and allow to rise in a warm place for about an hour or until doubled in size.

Remove from the bowl onto a floured surface and knead until smooth dough. Shape into a rectangle and place into a greased loaf mould. Cover with a clean dishcloth, place in a warm place for about 45 minutes or until doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 200°C, bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and mould. Allow to cool on a wire rack for at least an hour before serving.

Cornbread

Try cornbread at your next BBQ or for a snack and why not with fried eggs at breakfast... Adding corn kernels to the cornbread give it a unique texture.

 

Ingredients:

• 180g cornmeal
  
• 120g flour
• 100g melted butter
• 180ml milk
• 120g canned corn
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 T lemon juice
  
• 2t baking powder
• 1t baking soda
  
• 1t sugar
  
• 1/2 t salt
  

Method:

Preheat the oven to 230C. Add a cast iron skillet, if using.

 

Mix the milk and lemon juice and set aside for 5min. Mix cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt together. Beat the sugar and eggs until creamy. In a bowl, combine all of the ingredients and mix well.

 

If using the cast iron skillet, carefully remove it and drop in a blob of butter, lightly greasing the skillet, if not grease a cake mould with butter. Pour in the mixture and bake for 20min at 200C.

 

 

Brioche Vendéenne (Gâche)

Recipe adapted from Thomas Teffri-Chambeland.

 

Ingredients:

• 500g good quality T65 flour
  
• 60g sugar
• 125ml filtered water
• 3 small eggs
• 100ml fresh cream
  
• 50g butter
• 5g salt
• 20g fresh yeast (activated)
  

 

Method:

In a stand mixer, using the dough hook, mix flour, sugar, water and eggs (frasage). As soon as they are all mixed together, add the activated yeast and continue mixing (petrissage).

Once the gluten network is well formed (after about 15min) add the salt. Whisk the cream and incorporate it slowly (bassinage). Finally, add the softened butter. Cover and let the dough rest for 5min. Mold the "pâton" into a ball (moulage), and let it rest for 30min before putting it in the fridge for 8-12 hours.

On a floured surface, divide the "pâton" and shape it as desired. Make sure your hands remain cold during the shaping process. Ideally divide into 3 or 5 lengths which are braided. 

Transfer to a well floured oven tray, cover and let rise for 1h30 to 2 hours. 1 hour in the fridge and the other at room temperature or in a closed oven.

Preheat oven to 150°C.

Lightly wash the brioche with a slightly salted egg wash and bake for 30-33min or until golden brown.

 

Banana bread

Deliciously simple banana bread!

 

Ingredients:

• 3 or 4 small overripe bananas
  
• 300g flour (150g white, 150g whole)
  
• 3 large eggs
• 70g butter (melted)
• 1/2 plain yoghurt 
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  
• 40g muscovado or coconut sugar
• 1 T rum
  
• 1 t baking soda
• 1 t baking powder

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Mash the bananas and set aside. 

Sift the flour into a mixing bowl, then add the Baking powder & soda, walnuts and sugar, mix together.

Add the eggs one by one and then the melted butter to form a creamy dough. Finally add the mashed banana, stir well to combine. 

Pour into a greased loaf tin (or a silicone mould) and bake for 25min at 180°C, then set to 160°C and bake for 20min.

 

Irish Potato Bread

An easy and delicious Irish recipe, which I found on this interesting Irish culture website. The bread is usually part of a full Irish breakfast, but do try it as a snack. 

 

Ingredients:

• 225g mashed potatoes
  
• 85g plain flour
• 1t BP
• 28g butter melted
  

Method:

Place the mashed potato in a bowl and and add the sifted flour and BP as well as the melted butter. Mix together to form a soft but not loose dough. Roll out to about 1cm thick on a floured surface.

Place on a greased baking tray and lightly mark into squares without cutting right through the potato farl.

 

Bake at 200°C for about 20 minutes.

Serve hot with plenty of butter.

 

Brioche

Yummy brioche.

Ingredients:

• 500g flour
• 220g softened butter
• 80ml warm milk
  
• 20g sugar
• 6 eggs
• 15g yeast

Method:

Proof the yeast in the warm milk with the sugar. Sift the flour into a stand mixer. Add the eggs and yeast mixture and beat on low until a rough ball is formed.

Leave it to rise for 1hr. Film it and refrigerate for 6hrs or overnight, so that the dough isn't sticky anymore. Roll it out and shape it.

Preheat the oven to 200C and cook for 30-35min. Optionally apply an eggwash before putting it in the oven.

Pizza dough

 For pizza and fougasse. 

If available in your region, try using pizza flour (Type 00) - I recently tried it and it makes a lot of difference, the crust is soooo crispy!

 Ingredients:

• 500g flour
• 300ml warm water
• 4T olive oil
• 20g instant yeast
  

 Method:

Pour the warm water into the bowl of a stand mixer, add the yeast and leave to "proof" for about 10 minutes. 

Once the yeast is creamy and floating on the surface, add the flour and olive oil and mix with the dough attachment until a nice ball of dough is formed and it no longer sticks to the sides.

Cover the bowl with a plate and place in a warm place to rise until doubled.

I usually divide my dough into balls (about 4 to 6 depending on size of pizza dish) and roll out my dough rather thinly for a crispy crust.

 

Pâte brisée (shortcrust pastry)

If  you're in a hurry try the quick method, no refrigeration needed, use immediately. Try the healthy option if you want to skip the butter or simply make the basic recipe for a lovely buttery crust!

Methods:

The quick method

Ingredients:

• 150g wholewheat flour
• 100g buckwheat flour
• 110ml warm water
• 40ml  olive oil
• 1t baking powder

In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the flours and the BP.

Make a well in the centre, add the warm water and oil, mix well together with a spatula or wooden spoon, until a smooth ball is formed. Add more flour or water if the ball isn't smooth enough.

The pastry is ready to use!

 

The basic method

Ingredients:

• 250g flour
• 80g butter
• 80mL very cold water

 

In a food processor, whizz together the flour and the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. When the dough roughly resembles breadcrumbs, add the cold water through the goulot and mix until it forms a ball. Remove from bowl, place in another bowl, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before using.

 

To make without a food processor, mix the first 2 ingredients with fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the cold water and knead until the dough forms a ball. Place in a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before using.

The healthy method

Ingredients:

• 250g flour
• 1 egg
• 6T cold water
• 4T olive oil

In a food processor, whizz together the flour, the whole egg and the olive oil. When the dough roughly resembles breadcrumbs, add the cold water through the goulot and mix until it forms a ball. Remove from bowl, place in a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before using.

 

To make without a food processor, mix the first 3 ingredients with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula until they've roughly formed a sticky dough. Add the cold water and knead with fingertips until the dough forms a ball. Place in a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before using.

 

 

Pâte feuilletée (puff pastry)

When classic Pâte feuilletée - which involves 6 triple turns (which makes 729 layers) - is too long to make, we turn to these rough puff pastry recipes: the instant method for making a quick and delicious puff pastry, and the artisan method for a to-die-for result, but requiring more time to make.

 

 

Ingredients:

• 500g white flour
• unsalted cold 300g butter
• 250ml iced water

Methods:

 

The instant method

Mix the flour and very cold cubed butter in a kitchen aid stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Once crumbly, add the iced water and continue mixing until a rough ball is formed.

The artisan method

This 4 triple turn method is from chef Michel Roux.

On a silicon mat, make a well in the middle of the flour and add the cubed cold butter. Wash your hands in cold water and mix the butter into the flour. It is important to keep the dough cool throughout the process or the butter might melt. Slowly knead in the cold water. Shape into a flat ball and cut a cross in the middle. Wrap the silicon mat around it so it is air-tight and refrigerate for 20min.

Lightly flour and proceed with the first triple turn: roll out the dough into a 20-by-40 cm rectangle (8-by-16 inches), fold a third of the long side of the rectangle towards the middle, then fold the remaining third on top, the same way you'd fold a letter in three. Rotate the dough 90° and do a second triple turn by rolling the dough out again into a 20-by-40 cm rectangle, then folding in three the same way. Wrap it in the mat and refrigerate for 30min.

Repeat the steps in the previous paragraph until the dough is back in the fridge after completing its third and fourth turns. Refrigerate for at least 30min and up to three days.

Pâte sablée (sweet crust pastry)

For use with tarts, crumbles, etc.

Ingredients:

• 200g flour
• 80g sugar
• 100g softened butter
  
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 zest lemon
• pinch of salt
  

Method:

Sift the flour in a large bowl, add the pinch of salt, the lemon zest, the softened butter and the sugar. 

With your fingers, knead the flour and butter mixture to form breadcrumbs. Then add the eggs. Continue kneading with your fingers until a nice, soft ball of dough has formed. Cover and refrigerate for thirty minutes.

Remove the dough from the fridge, flour the counter or silicon mat, flatten the ball of dough with your hands, maintaining the round shape, flouring the top and underside of the dough to prevent sticking. 

Transfer to a lightly buttered and floured tart dish, and bake blind for 15min at 200°C no fan.

Airfried Garlic Bread

 Try making garlic bread in the airfryer for a fantastic result! And it is more energy efficient too.

 

Ingredients:

• 1 baguette
  
• 5 or 6 cloves garlic
• 50g butter
• a bunch of parsley
  

Method:

Prepare the garlic bread and airfry in batches for 8min.

Airfried Croutons

These croutons are made in the airfryer with a tiny drizzle of oil. They are low-fat and wonderfully crispy. Can be kept for a month and added to soups and salads for a nice crunch ;)

Ingredients:

• (stale) bread
• garlic powder
• onion powder
• paprika
• parsley flakes
• black pepper
  

Method:

Put everything in the machine and air-fry for 8-12min depending on the size of the pieces.

Blinis

Makes 12 blinis, or 24 medium-sized blinis.

Ingredients:

• 500ml half skimmed milk
• 10g yeast
• oil
• 2 eggs
• 350g flour
• 20g melted butter

Method:

Warm the milk. In a large bowl, mix the flour and the yeast and add the milk little by little to make a smooth and creamy dough. Cover and place in a warm place for about an hour to rise.
Separate the yolks from the whites, add the yolks and melted butter to the mixture. Let it rise for 40-60min. Beat the whites until stiff, delicately fold into the dough. Heat up a lightly greased blini pan and add a couple of spoonfuls. Cook until sponge-like.

Flip over and blinis will be ready when both sides are golden brown.

Vetkoek

It was a fun time in the kitchen when my mom made vetkoek. As kids we would wait impatiently while she fried the vetkoek, eating them piping hot with butter and apricot jam. Sometimes they would be a meal for dinner. We would partially open the vetkoek and stuff them with savoury mince (minced meat). My granny taught my mom to make vetkoek and my mom in turn, taught my sister and I.

Ingredients:

• 500g bread flour
• 300ml warm water
• 1 packet dry instant yeast
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 t salt
• 1 t sugar

Method:

In the bowl of a standard mixer with a dough hook, pour in the warm water, sugar and yeast.
Leave the yeast to rise for about 5 minutes.
Add the flour, salt and olive oil and mix until a firm ball of dough is formed.
Add more flour if necessary.
Knead on setting 1 for around 5-8 minutes.
Cover with a clean cloth and place in a warm place until dough has doubled in size.
Once risen, punch down and knead again for a few minutes.
Heat a large deep pan of oil.
Pull and cut pieces of dough.
Fry them on both sides until golden brown.

Easy multigrain bread

My family's favourite bread/roll recipe.

Ingredients:

• 400 ml warm water
• 2 t rapid rising yeast
• 150g bread flour
• 200g wholewheat flour
• 150g spelt flour
• 100g rye flour
• 2 T chia seeds
• 2 T flax seeds
• 2 T sunflower seeds
• 1T psyllium
  
• 1 T molasses
• 1 T olive or coconut oil

Method:

In the bowl of a standard mixer with a dough hook, pour in the warm water, molasses and yeast.
Leave the yeast to rise for about 5 minutes. Add the oil.
Add the flour, seeds, salt and oil and mix until a firm ball of dough is formed.
Add more flour  or warm water if necessary.
Knead on setting 1 for around 5-8 minutes.
Cover with a plate or a clean cloth and place in a warm place until dough has doubled in size.
Once risen, punch down and knead again for a few minutes.
Form balls of about 60g each, or a large ball and cover once again with a clean cloth, and leave to rise until the dough has doubled in size.
Preheat oven at 200° C, and add a small recipient of water in the bottom of the oven.
Reduce the temperature to 180°C then bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes, the loaf for 30-35 minutes. The bread is baked when you tap on the bottom and hear a hollow sound.

 

 

Alternatively, this dough can be baked in a loaf tin.