the importance of foreplay
well, i could have put it differently but that wouldn't be quite like me. what i am talking about is the fact that it is really worth investing time into making bread. things like kneading for a couple of minutes and a second prove enhance the structure of the bread dough drastically. plus all the kneading and punching will bestow me with arms like popeye. so now that i have experienced the miracles a little patience can do, no more excuses for throwing the bread into the oven right after the first prove!
btw, the tomato bread was magnificent!
bread with almonds
- 5 cups of wheat flour (all purpose or type 480)
- 120 g of almonds, finely ground
- 60 g of almonds, roughly chopped
- 3 tablespoons of butter
- 200 g curds or cream cheese
- 2 teaspoons of salt
- 40 g of fresh yeast or 7g of dried yeast
- 1 tablespoon of sugar
- 200 ml tepid water
- additional flour, water as needed
- olive oil
put flour into a mixing bowl, add salt and curds. slowly roast almonds in butter until fragrant and a tiny little bit browned, add to flour and let cool down a few minutes. dissolve yeast and sugar in water, pour into bowl with flour. knead for a few minutes adding water or flour as needed to produce an elastic dough.
let rise until doubled in bulk. punch down, roll into oval loaf. brush surface with a little olive oil (as though the dough didn't already contain enough fat...). make three or four parallel cuts into surface and then let rise again. bake in preheated oven at 160-180°C for thirty to fourty minutes. check towards end of baking time.
