The Cheese Board (20 page)

Although this cinnamon-egg bread is named Sunday Bread, we make it on Saturday. Studded with nuts and raisins, it is meant to be a festive addition to a Sunday brunch. It resembles a braided turban when baked and is a shiny mahogany in color.

In a small bowl, whisk the yeast into the warm water until dissolved. Let stand for 5 minutes.

In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl, combine the flours, salt, and cinnamon.

If using a stand mixer,
add the yeast mixture, buttermilk, 2 of the eggs, the honey, and melted butter to the bowl. Using the paddle attachment on low speed, mix until the ingredients are combined, about 2 minutes. Switch to the dough hook, increase the mixer speed to medium, and knead for about 10 minutes, or until the dough loses its rough texture. Add the raisins and the nuts and continue to knead just until incorporated. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for a few minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.

If making by hand,
add the yeast mixture, buttermilk, 2 of the eggs, the honey, and melted butter to the bowl and
mix with a wooden spoon until the ingredients are combined. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead for 12 minutes, or until the dough is tacky and soft. Flatten the dough into a 1-inch-thick round. Add the raisins and the nuts, fold the dough over, and continue to knead for a few minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Form the dough into a ball and place it in a large oiled bowl. Turn the dough over to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 3 hours, or until doubled in size.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and divide it into 2 pieces. Gently form each piece into a
loose round
and cover with a floured kitchen towel. Let rest for 10 minutes. Shape each piece into a
2-stranded turban
.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat. Place the loaves on the prepared pan, leaving at least 4 inches between the loaves. Cover them with a floured kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for 1 to 1¼ hours, or until
increased in size by one-third and a finger pressed into the dough leaves an impression.

Fifteen minutes before the loaves have finished rising, preheat the oven to 375°F.

In a small bowl, whisk the remaining egg. Using a pastry brush, brush the top and sides of each loaf with the beaten egg. Repeat this step.

Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 20 minutes, then turn the baking sheet front to back. Bake 20 minutes longer, for a total baking time of 40 minutes, or until the loaves are shiny, deep brown, and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Transfer the loaves to a wire rack to cool.

 

A simple white bread, potato bread is a vigorous riser with a particularly light, springy texture because potatoes facilitate yeast growth. In order to give the loaves a chewy, slightly crisp crust, we
steam them during baking
. A dash of black pepper gives this bread a bite that balances the sweetness of the potatoes and makes it the perfect base for a
croque-monsieur.

In a small bowl, whisk the yeast into the warm water until dissolved. Let stand for 5 minutes.

In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, and pepper.

If using a stand mixer,
add the yeast mixture, olive oil, and lukewarm water to the bowl. Using the paddle attachment on low speed, mix until the ingredients are combined, about 2 minutes. Switch to the dough hook, increase the mixer speed to medium, and knead for 7 minutes. Add the shredded potatoes and continue to knead for 1 minute, or until the potatoes are incorporated. (Do not knead the dough too long at this point, or the potatoes will cause it to become gummy.) Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for a few minutes, until the dough is soft but still holds its shape.

If making by hand,
add the yeast mixture, olive oil, and lukewarm water to the bowl and mix with a wooden spoon until the ingredients are combined. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes. Flatten the dough out, put the shredded potatoes on top, and roll the dough into a ball. Continue to knead for 2 minutes, or until the potatoes are incorporated and the dough is soft but still holds its shape. (Do not knead the dough too long at this point, or the potatoes will cause it to become gummy.)

Form the dough into a ball and place it in a large oiled bowl. Turn the dough over to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

Lightly spray 2 loaf pans with cooking spray. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and divide it into 2 pieces. Gently form each piece into a
loose round
and cover with a floured kitchen towel. Let rest for 10 minutes. Shape each piece into a
loaf
and place in the prepared pans. Sprinkle flour over the tops of the loaves and spread it out evenly. Cover with a floured kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes, or until the dough has risen 1½ inches above the rim of the pan and a finger pressed into the dough leaves an impression.

Fifteen minutes before the loaves have finished rising, remove all but the middle rack from the oven. Place a metal roasting pan on the floor of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Slash
the top of each of the loaves. Let them rest for 5 minutes to allow the slashes to open.

Pour ½ cup cold water into a measuring cup and add enough ice cubes to bring the volume to 1 cup. Working quickly so that you don’t lose too much heat, place the loaf pans in the oven and pour the ice water into the roasting pan. Immediately close the oven door to maintain a steamy environment.

Bake for 5 minutes, then prepare another round of ice water and repeat the procedure. Bake 10 minutes longer, then rotate the pans front to back and switch sides from left to right. Bake 25 to 30 minutes longer, for a total baking time of 40 to 45 minutes, or until the loaves are golden and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Unmold the loaves onto a wire rack to cool.

A relative of anadama bread, this bread has a high, rounded shape. The cornmeal adds crunchiness, and
toasting this bread makes it even more nutty and crisp.

In a small bowl, whisk the yeast into the warm water until dissolved. Let stand for 5 minutes.

In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl, combine the flours, the ¾ cup cornmeal, the oats, and salt.

If using a stand mixer,
add the yeast mixture, lukewarm water, and molasses to the bowl. Using the paddle attachment on low speed, mix until the ingredients are combined, about 2 minutes. Switch to the dough hook, increase the mixer speed to medium, and knead for 10 minutes, or until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for a few minutes, until the dough is soft but still holds its shape.

If making by hand,
add the yeast mixture, lukewarm water, and molasses to the bowl and mix with a wooden spoon until the ingredients are combined. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead for at least 12 minutes, or until the dough is soft but still holds its shape.

Form the dough into a ball and place it in a large oiled bowl. Turn the dough over to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

Lightly spray 2 loaf pans with cooking spray. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and divide it into 2 pieces. Gently form each piece into a
loose round
and cover with a floured kitchen towel. Let rest for 10 minutes. Shape each piece into a
loaf
and place in the prepared pans. Using a spray bottle, mist the tops of the loaves with water and sprinkle with the ¼ cup cornmeal. Cover with a floured kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the dough has risen 1½ inches above the rim of the pan and a finger pressed into the dough leaves an impression.