The Cheese Board (21 page)

Fifteen minutes before the loaves have finished rising,
slash
the tops. Remove all but the middle rack from the oven. Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Place the loaves in the oven and bake for 5 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F and bake 20 minutes longer. Turn the loaf pans around front to back and switch sides left to right. Bake 15 to 20 minutes longer, for a total baking time of 40 to 45 minutes, or until the loaves are a deep brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Unmold the loaves onto a wire rack to cool.

 

This bread was born out of desperation. The morning baker came into the store to find that the ingredients for multigrain bread were not in stock, so she improvised this recipe. Like all our bread recipes, this one has been refined over the years by succeeding generations of bakers. It makes a lightly sweetened and moist loaf.

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, oats, sunflower seeds, the ⅓ cup sesame seeds, and the salt.

If using a stand mixer,
add the yeast mixture, lukewarm water, and honey 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 honey 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 them with the ¼ cup sesame seeds. Cover with a floured kitchen towel and let rise in warm place for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the dough has risen 1 inch above the rim of the pan and a finger pressed into the dough leaves an impression.

Fifteen minutes before the loaves have finished rising,
slash
the tops. Remove all but the middle rack from the oven. Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Place the loaves in the oven and bake for 5 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F and bake 20 minutes longer. Turn the loaf pans around front to back and switch sides left to right. Bake 15 to 20 minutes longer, for a total baking time of 40 to 45 minutes, or until the loaves are a deep brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Unmold the loaves onto a wire rack to cool.

We make this loaf on Thursday mornings. It is just what it’s called: a plain whole-wheat bread, simple to make and satisfying to eat—the quintessential peanut butter and jelly sandwich bread. As with all whole-wheat bread, the longer you knead the dough, the greater the gluten development and the lighter your final product will be.

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 and salt.

If using a stand mixer,
add the yeast mixture, lukewarm water, and honey 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 honey 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. 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 to 1 hour, or until the dough has risen 1 inch above the rim of the pan and a finger pressed into the dough leaves an impression.

Fifteen minutes before the loaves have finished rising,
slash
the tops. Remove all but the middle rack from the oven. Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Place the loaves in the oven and bake for 5 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F and bake 20 minutes longer. Turn the loaf pans around front to back and switch sides left to right. Bake 15 to 20 minutes longer, for a total baking time of 40 to 45 minutes, or until the loaves are a deep brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Unmold the loaves onto a wire rack to cool.

 

This slightly sweet and aromatic whole-wheat bread is quick to rise and easy to make at home. Grind the coriander seeds just before using them for a more intense flavor. We recommend using a stand mixer for two reasons: the dough should be kneaded for a long time to develop the springy texture that is its hallmark, and it is a terrifically sticky, wet dough that is messy to handle.

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, oats, sunflower seeds, salt, and coriander.

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 at least 12 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 sticky and 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 15 minutes, or until the dough is sticky and 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. 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 to 1 hour, or until the dough has risen 1 inch above the rim of the pan and a finger pressed into the dough leaves an impression.

Fifteen minutes before the bread has finished rising,
slash
the loaves. Remove all but the middle rack from the oven. Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Place the loaves in the oven and bake for 5 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F and bake 20 minutes longer. Turn the loaf pans around front to back and switch sides left to right. Bake 15 to 20 minutes longer, for a total baking time of 40 to 45 minutes, or until the loaves are a deep brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Unmold the loaves onto a wire rack to cool.

 

This dense multigrain bread made from wheat flour and whole grains is our Saturday-special wheat loaf. The whole millet seeds add crunch; steel-cut oats and cracked wheat add heft. If you like a smoother crumb, soak the steel-cut oats, cracked wheat, and millet overnight to soften them and help integrate them into the dough.

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, steel-cut oats, cracked wheat, sesame seeds, millet, rolled oats, bran, 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.