Bread Machine (75 page)
Remove the cover. Using a sharp knife, slash the top surface of a round loaf decoratively in an X, or slash diagonal lines down the top of a rectangular loaf, no more than 14 inch deep. Before placing the baker in the oven, rinse the inside of the cover with tap water; drain off excess drips but do not dry (this moisture creates steam during baking). Place the cover back over the slightly risen dough ball and place the baker in the center of a cold oven. Turn the oven temperature to 450°F.
After 30 minutes, remove the cover with heavy oven mitts to allow the loaf to brown thoroughly. Bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the finished loaf is golden brown, crisp, and sounds hollow when tapped with your finger. Carefully remove the dish from the oven and transfer the loaf to a rack. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving warm.
To clean La Cloche or other ceramic baking pans, tap out the excess flour and crumbs, and scrub off any stuck-on bits with a brush and water only; soap residue can impart a taste into the next loaf you bake. Towel dry and let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before replacing the cover and storing in the cupboard.
P
ane di Semola
is made using a simple straight dough. Be sure to use the finely ground semolina flour that is used for making pasta rather than the coarser grind that is similar to farina, a protein-rich flour also ground from durum wheat. This bread is a good one to choose if you will be using the Delay Timer. It is fantastic warm with garlic butter melting in, and also makes great bruschetta.
1
1
/
2
-POUND LOAF
1
1
/
3
cups water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1
3
/
4
cups bread flour
1
1
/
4
cups semolina flour
1 tablespoon plus
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
1 tablespoon gluten
1
1
/
2
teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons SAF yeast or 2
1
/
2
teaspoons bread machine yeast
2-POUND LOAF
1
3
/
4
cups water
3 tablespoons olive oil
2
1
/
4
cups bread flour
1
3
/
4
cups semolina flour
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 tablespoon plus
1 teaspoon gluten
2 teaspoons salt
2
1
/
4
teaspoons SAF yeast or 2
3
/
4
teaspoons bread machine yeast
Place all the ingredients in the pan according to the order in the manufacturer’s instructions. Set crust on dark and program for the French Bread or Basic cycle; press Start. (This recipe may be made using the Delay Timer.)
When the baking cycle ends, immediately remove the bread from the pan and place it on a rack. Let cool to room temperature before slicing.
S
imple daily bread—French-style—is a home baker’s delight. This bread must be eaten the day it is baked, preferably within a few hours, to enjoy the crisp, chewy crust. Try making this bread using French-style flour from The Baker’s Catalogue (see
Resources
), a domestic flour blended to match a sample of the flour used in Poilâne’s bakery in Paris.
Place all the ingredients in the pan according to the order in the manufacturer’s instructions. Set crust on medium or dark and program for the Basic or French Bread cycle; press Start. (This recipe may be made using the Delay Timer.)
When the baking cycle ends, immediately remove the bread from the pan and place it on a rack. Let cool to room temperature before slicing.
1
1
/
2
-POUND LOAF
1
1
/
4
cups water
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons gluten
1
1
/
2
teaspoons fine sea salt
2 teaspoons SAF yeast or 2
1
/
2
teaspoons bread machine yeast
2-POUND LOAF
1
2
/
3
cups water
1
1
/
2
tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon gluten
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
2
1
/
4
teaspoons SAF yeast or 2
3
/
4
teaspoons bread machine yeast
CLASSIC BAGUETTES
Makes 2 baguettes
T
he baguette is technically a new shape in the bread world; the long ones appeared in Paris during the 1930s in response to the public wanting more crust than crumb. The bread machine makes a French bread that is light and airy due to the mechanical action of the kneading blade, a type of mixing that just cannot be reproduced by hand. It also enables the dough to stay more moist, resulting in a thin, crisp crust. This recipe is for a classic French baguette adapted from a Joe Ortiz recipe designed for the food processor. It works incredibly well mixed in the bread machine and baked in the oven. You must use baguette trays (two 18-by-2-inch trays) to make the loaves; they are too soft to stand on their own on a baking sheet. I love how long and thin the baguettes are after they are baked in a very hot oven. And I was delighted to be able to tear into a hot loaf and have crumbs shatter on the counter. “Perfect!” exclaimed my neighbors when I brought them a still-hot wand.