Tuesday, July 17, 2012

TWD--Semolina Bread

I was in my element with the latest Tuesdays with Dorie assignment: Semolina Bread. Although I have used semolina in pasta and pizza crust, I have never actually made a loaf of bread with the flour.

The instructions were clear, but anyone not used to making bread may have been put off with the loose and wet dough. It's tempting to keep adding flour, but I resisted, thinking that the wet dough would make a superior loaf.

I chose to bake my bread in a La Cloche. Being a "bread head," (I confess I currently have 14 kinds of flour on my shelves) I have a lot of equipment, and I often use the stone La Cloche baker for making French bread-like loafs. I recalled that Rose Levy Beranbaum recommended the La Cloche for her semolina loaf, so I looked up her recipe in "The Bread Bible" and, sure enough, it was very much like the one in "Baking with Julia." I let the bread rise in the La Cloche bottom, while I preheated the lid while preheating the oven. I then clamped the lid on the La Cloche just before putting the bread in the oven. With a La Cloche, there is no need to produce steam in the oven by dumping water or ice cubes in a preheated pan. The baker keeps the moisture in the bread from evaporating. I removed the lid after the first 15 mintues to allow the crust to develop.

I served the loaf at a Fourth of July get-together. Although no one commented on it, I thought it was good with a distinctive "buttery" taste. I froze the rest of the loaf and intend to make garlic bread with the remainder.

5 comments:

  1. It looks great! What a cute little helper you have:)

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  2. Nice loaf of bread! I love your cloche!

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  3. Nice thought to use the Cloche & lovely bread.
    The semolina bread from The Bread Bible is my standard semolina loaf & is probably one of my top ten favorite bread recipes (I am have similar flour hoarding tendencies, it's my weakness)

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  4. I must get some new bread making 'stuff', off to Williams and Sanoma I go!
    Your bread looks excellent.

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  5. Nice loaf. I had never heard of a la cloche - learn something new everyday.

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