The best of bread on ‘Jayni’s Kitchen’

Join Jayni Carey this week on “Jayni’s Kitchen” for a trip to the 2009 Festival of Breads bread baking contest in Wichita. Back in the kitchen, Sharon Davis with the Home Baking Association gives a lesson in bread baking, and Cindy Falk, nutrition educator from Kansas Wheat, prepares the Festival of Breads winning recipe.

Everyday Bread

Sponge ingredients:

2 cups (16 oz.) water (80-95 degrees)

1 (1/4 oz.) package or 2 1/4 teaspoons active or quick-rising dry yeast

2 tablespoons sugar, honey or molasses (optional)

3 1/2 cups (14 oz.) whole-wheat flour (75-80 degrees)

Dough Ingredients:

2 tablespoons (1 oz.) butter or vegetable oil

2 teaspoons (1/2 oz.) salt

11/2 -2 cups (8.5 oz.) unbleached all-purpose or bread flour

For sponge: In a large mixing bowl, add the water, yeast, sugar (or molasses or honey), and 3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour. Using an electric mixer, mix on low speed to blend well, about 3-4 minutes. Cover bowl loosely with a lid or waxed paper. Ferment sponge mixture in a warm (80 degrees) place, from 10 to 30 minutes until puffy and bubbly. (Or, use the cooler water temperature (80 degrees); mix, cover and refrigerate the sponge 1 hour to overnight — keep covered and stir down if needed.)

For dough: With a dough hook or by hand, mix butter or oil, salt and additional 1 1/2 cups flour (unbleached all-purpose or bread flour) into the sponge on low speed to form a rough dough ball. Begin kneading (or use mixer’s dough hook) with flour sprinkles from the remaining 1/2 cup flour, until the dough is smooth, moist and elastic, 8-10 minutes. Dough should clean the bowl or counter. Form a rounded smooth-surfaced dough ball, place in an oiled bowl, turning the dough so pinched side is down, smooth side is up. Cover bowl loosely with oiled or pan-sprayed plastic wrap or lid. Ferment (“raise”) dough at 80 degrees until doubled in size, about 40 minutes. (Or, instead of fermenting at room temperature, spray or oil a large food bag or storage container and refrigerate the dough for 2-24 hours. Punch dough down when doubled in size, about 1 hour and reshape into a smooth ball. Shape dough, or return to refrigerator until ready to shape.)

To “punch” dough: Fold dough into middle and turn to form smooth ball. Turn smooth side up. Let dough let rest 10 minutes, covered, while preparing baking pans.

Shape two loaves (round, or oblong for 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch pan). (Dough also makes great dinner buns, breadsticks or braids.) Place the loaves in greased pans or on a sheet pan. Cover with a barely damp, nonterry towel or plastic food wrap sprayed with pan spray. Proof (“raise”) loaves until doubled in volume, in warm (95-105 degrees) draft-free place, 40-45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 360 degrees. Slash round loaves on surface. Bake loaves 30-35 minutes until golden and the internal temperature is 190-200 degrees. Cool bread on wire cooling rack; wrap when cooled to 90-100 degrees. interior temperature. Freeze baked bread wrapped in freezer plastic food bags or store at room temperature (70-90 degrees) (Don’t refrigerate.) Makes 2 loaves/16 slices per loaf.

Option: Mix bread straight through or break up the steps to fit busy schedules.

Option: In place of 2 cups of water, 1/2 cup water plus 1 1/2 cups scalded and cooled milk may be substituted.

Option: For hearth bread, use a hard white or red whole wheat flour.

— Recipe for Everyday Bread prepared by Sharon Davis.

Tomato, Basil and Garlic-Filled Pane Bianco

1/2 cup warm water (100-110 degrees)

1/3 cup granulated sugar

4 teaspoons Fleischmann’s Active Dry Yeast

1 cup warm low-fat milk (100-110 degrees)

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons salt

5-5 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour

1 (8.5-ounce) jar oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, well-drained

3/4 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder

1 1/2 cups shredded Italian blended cheese, divided

2/3 cup chopped fresh basil

In a small bowl, add warm water, sugar, and yeast. Stir and let sit 10 minutes. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add milk, oil, yeast mixture, eggs, and salt. Mix until well-combined, about 2 minutes.

Stir in enough of the flour to make a soft dough. Knead on a lightly floured surface or with a dough hook 6 to 8 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Place dough in a greased bowl, turn to grease top. Cover, let rise in a warm place until double, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, thoroughly drain sun-dried tomatoes; lay on paper towel to absorb moisture. Using kitchen shears, finely chop tomatoes. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Punch down dough, divide in half. Roll one piece into a 22-by-8 1/2-inch rectangle. Sprinkle on half of the garlic, cheese, basil, and tomatoes. Starting with 22-inch side, roll up (jelly-roll fashion) tightly. Pinch edges to seal. Place roll seam-side-down on baking sheet. With scissors, cut lengthwise down center of roll, about 1 inch deep to within 1/2 inch of the ends. Keeping cut-side up, form an “S” shape. Tuck both ends under center of “S” to form a “figure eight”; pinch ends to seal.

Cover; let rise in a warm place until double, 45 to 60 minutes. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Bake the first loaf in a preheated 350 degree oven 35 to 40 minutes. Tent loaf with foil after 15 to 20 minutes to prevent overbrowning. Bake remaining loaf. Remove from pan; cool on wire rack. Makes 2 loaves, 20 slices each.

— Recipe by Cindy Falk.