Bread | Saveur

Cake d’Alsace (Bacon, Gruyère, and Caramelized Onion Loaf)

Aleksandra Crapanzano — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 14:59:34 +0000

Photography by Julia Gartland; Food Styling by Jessie YuChen

“Cake salé” is a catch-all term for the humble savory loaves popular among French home cooks. This Alsace-inspired variation, studded with bacon, Gruyère, and caramelized onion, tastes great straight from the oven, but it’s even better reheated (cooling it completely tenderizes the crumb). Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

Featured in “Is This Humble Dish France’s Best-Kept Culinary Secret?” by Emily Monaco.

Yield: Makes 1 loaf

Time: 1 hour 35 minutes

5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly, plus more as needed
8 oz. bacon, cut crosswise into ¼-in. lardons
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 cup full-fat (whole) buttermilk
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more if needed
2 large eggs, preferably at room temperature
2½ cups all-purpose flour (10½ oz.)
1½ tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. fine salt
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
8 oz. grated Comté, Gruyère, or aged cheddar (2 cups)
3 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley leaves

Instructions

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter and flour a metal 9-by-5-inch loaf pan, tapping out any excess flour.
In a large skillet set over low heat, cook the lardons until golden brown and their fat has rendered, about 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a small bowl.
To the pan with the rendered fat, add the onion and turn the heat to medium. (If the pan looks dry, add a tablespoon of butter.) Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, oil, and eggs, then whisk in the melted butter.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and black pepper. Stir in the cheese, parsley, and reserved bacon. Add the buttermilk mixture, then use a silicone spatula to fold together the wet and dry ingredients until no streaks of flour remain.
Scrape the dough into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached, 45–50 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before unmolding, then serve warm or at room temperature.

The post Cake d’Alsace (Bacon, Gruyère, and Caramelized Onion Loaf) appeared first on Saveur.

Strawberry Shortcake for a Crowd

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:29:48 +0000

Photography by Belle Morizio; Food Styling By Jessie YuChen; Prop Styling By Kim Gray

Baking a single oversize biscuit instead of laboring over individual ones makes for a marvelously over-the-top presentation of the classic American dessert. Because this strawberry shortcake recipe hinges on peak-season berries, it’s best to hit up your local farm stand for Tristar and other heirloom strawberries (alternatively, fancy-schmancy Oishii berries are sweet year round). The recipe can be doubled with success; simply make two biscuits, not one extra-large one.

Yield: 4

Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

3 cups strawberries, washed, hulled, and halved lengthwise
¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp. sugar, divided
1½ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. fine salt
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed, divided
¾ cup whole or two percent milk
1 cup cold heavy cream
3 Tbsp. confectioners sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions

In a bowl, toss the strawberries with 5 tablespoons of the sugar and set aside to macerate for 30 minutes.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400°F. Into a large bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining sugar and whisk gently to combine. Scatter 4 tablespoons of the butter on top, then use a pastry blender or your fingers to work it into the flour mixture until it looks like coarse crumbs. Stir in the milk. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, then shape it into a large biscuit 6 inches in diameter and 1 inch thick. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake until just golden, about 25 minutes. When cool enough to handle, use a sharp knife to slice it horizontally in half, then transfer to a platter and spread the cut sides evenly with the remaining butter.
Using a handheld or stand mixer on high speed, whip the cream until soft peaks form. With the mixer running, slowly add the confectioners sugar and vanilla, then continue to beat to nearly stiff peaks.
Assemble the shortcake: Spoon the strawberries and their juices atop the bottom half of the biscuit, then cover with the whipped cream and top with the other half of the biscuit. Serve immediately in wedges.

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How to Make Baguettes

Ryan McCarthy — Sat, 25 Mar 2023 07:13:29 +0000

Photography by Belle Morizio

Let me share something with you: I love bread. Baking (and then consuming) a homemade loaf is one of life’s most enjoyable simple pleasures. I admit that the process does require a bit of planning—and a few hours of downtime. And yet the results are incredibly rewarding and absolutely worth the effort. As someone who, years ago, became obsessed with baking bread and then went on to work in a professional bakery, I always advocate for home cooks to try their hand at making their own bread at home. Learning how to make a baguette is a simple and straightforward starting point.

Much like the simple roast chicken or sky-high soufflé, a perfectly executed baguette is considered one of the best marks by which to judge a master of culinary craft. French President Emmanuel Macron successfully advocated to include the slender loaves in UNESCO’s list of “Intangible Cultural Heritage”—a process that took six years to provide the necessary documentation! Amateur bakers tend to test the waters by making boules, bâtards, and pan loaves. A baguette, on the other hand, can seem a bit more intimidating. In reality, these loaves require only a handful of tools and ingredients that you likely already have in the kitchen, and are achievable for anyone with a hot oven and some time. Though your first attempt might not look exactly like those at your local bakery, learning how to make a baguette is all about practice (and enjoying the fresh-baked results).

What you need:

Tools:

2 large mixing bowls or a stand mixer fitted with dough hook attachment
Digital Scale*
Whisk
Bench Scraper
Cast iron skillet
Parchment paper
Baking Sheet
Very sharp paring knife, razor blade, or bread lame

Ingredients:

1½ cups (355 g) warm (not hot!) tap water (between 105°F-115°F)
1½ tsp. (5 g) active dry yeast**
3¼ cups (462 g) all-purpose flour***
1¾ tsp. (5 g) kosher salt
Neutral oil, such as canola, sunflower, or vegetable, for greasing
2 cups boiling water (very hot tap water can also be used)

*I highly recommend investing in a digital scale for use in any home baking project. In a professional bakery, every ingredient is measured in grams. This is for a few main reasons: Multiples of 10 are incredibly easy to scale up and down as needed, and gram measurements are more precise than pounds and ounces and more accurate than cups and tablespoons.

**Bread flour can also be used in this method, although its higher protein content will make for a “stronger” dough, with more elasticity when proofing and shaping.

***You are also welcome to substitute instant dry yeast for active dry yeast, just be aware that the fermentation time when using the instant version will be slightly faster. This will speed up fermentation and proofing times by about 15 minutes at each stage. I prefer to use active dry yeast in this recipe because a slower fermentation time results in a more flavorful final product.

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Traditional baguettes are made using a type of preferment called a poolish. This mixture of yeast, flour, and water is mixed a few hours ahead of time, then added to the final dough to increase its “extensibility” (in other words, stretchiness, which makes shaping easier). It also lends the finished product a more complex and yeasty flavor than breads made with “straight doughs” mixed without preferments. The loaves are also often cold-proofed for several hours (and even overnight) to increase flavor depth as well. The method in this streamlined tutorial skips those steps, and instead shortens the entire process to about four hours. If you want to get a head start (and a more pronounced flavor), cover the shaped loaves with a tea towel and proof overnight in the fridge before scoring and baking them, as described below, the following morning.

STEP 1: Mix and knead the dough.

In a large bowl, whisk together the water and active dry yeast, then set aside at room temperature until slightly foamy, about 10 minutes. (If the yeast does not begin to foam at the surface, it’s probably past its prime. Discard it and grab some fresh yeast before continuing.) Add the flour, then, using a fork or your hand, stir until all the flour is absorbed and there are no dry pockets. Set aside to allow the flour to hydrate for 20 minutes.*

Lightly flour a clean work surface. Sprinkle the salt over the dough, then transfer to the surface and knead until all the salt is incorporated and the dough is elastic and mostly smooth, 9–12 minutes. (If using a stand mixer, mix the dough on medium-low speed for 4–5 minutes.) Form the dough into a ball. Lightly grease a clean, large bowl, transfer the dough into it, cover, and set aside until the dough has nearly doubled in size, about 45 minutes. Note: The warmer and more humid the environment in your kitchen, the faster your dough will rise. During the colder months, one of my favorite techniques is to ferment the dough right in my oven with the pilot light on, or near a warm radiator.

Letting the dough hydrate and rest before adding the salt is a process known as autolyse. This process allows gluten bonds to start forming gently—before you start working the dough—reducing kneading time and resulting in a more irregular, open crumb structure.

STEP 2: Stretch and fold the dough.

Photography by Belle Morizio

Imagine your dough ball as having four corners. Grab the top two corners (furthest from you) and lift them up and away from the sides of the bowl, folding them over towards you. Rotate the bowl 180 degrees and repeat. Now do the same with the right and left sides, respectively. Your dough should now resemble a folded envelope. Carefully remove the “envelope” from the bowl and invert it, placing it back in the bowl, seam side down. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and return to a warm area until doubled in size again, another 45 minutes to an hour.

You may be used to seeing bread recipes that instruct you to “punch down” the dough (in other words, deflate the dough of any gasses formed during the fermentation process). I don’t like to do that here, because removing these gasses can lead to a denser loaf. Instead, this folding process helps to both redistribute the entrapped gasses and ensure a more even temperature throughout the dough.

STEP 3: Cut the dough into three pieces.

Photography by Belle Morizio

Carefully transfer the dough to your lightly floured surface, once again taking care to not deflate it excessively. Place a large cast iron pan on the floor of your oven, adjust the oven rack to the center position, and preheat to 450ºF. Using a bench scraper or sharp knife, divide the dough into three equal pieces (extra credit here if you have a kitchen scale!). Roll each piece into a tight oval (the dough should be springy if you poke it with your finger). Cover the ovals with plastic wrap or a tea towel and set aside at room temperature until the dough is “relaxed,” 15–20 minutes.

STEP 4: Shape and final proof the baguettes

Photography by Belle Morizio

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, dust lightly with flour, and set aside. On your lightly floured work surface, lightly press and stretch one of the dough pieces into a rectangle. Pick up the top two corners and fold them towards you, stopping halfway. Repeat with the bottom corners (away from your body this time). The dough should now resemble a tube, with a seam running along the center. Place the tube seam-side-down, and repeat the process with the other two dough pieces.

Then, go back to the first tube: Position your hands at the center, then carefully roll the log of dough back and forth, applying pressure toward either end and elongating the dough as you go. Repeat this process a couple of times until the loaf is about 16 inches long, and tapered at the ends. Continue with the other two pieces of dough, then place the baguettes seam-side-down on the lined baking sheet. Cover with a sheet of plastic wrap or very slightly damp tea towel and set aside at room temperature until the loaves are slightly puffed up and the dough bounces back slightly when poked gently with your finger, 20–30 minutes.

STEP 5: Score and bake the baguettes.

Photography by Belle Morizio

After scoring your baguettes, you’ll want to move as quickly as possible when loading them into the oven, so be sure that it’s fully preheated before you proceed.

Using a sharp knife or razor blade held at a 30 degree angle, cut four evenly spaced slashes along the top surface of each baguette. If you have a spray bottle on hand, give the loaves a light spritz of water, then, quickly and carefully transfer the baking sheet to the oven, pour at least 2 cups of boiling water into the hot cast iron skillet, and shut the oven door. Bake the loaves until golden brown, 25–30 minutes. Remove the baguettes from the oven and do your best to let them cool before diving in.

A steamy oven is crucial for achieving a good rise and a thin and crispy crust. The steam created from the initial heat of the skillet will fill the oven, then condense and settle over the surface of the baking loaves. That moisture keeps the outside of the dough hydrated and springy, allowing for more “oven spring” as the loaves bake. Without steam, the outer layer of bread “crisps up” before the internal temperature has risen enough to cause the gasses to expand, and your bread can end up dense, hard, and misshapen.

Tip: Most home ovens have vents that let out steam, usually above and behind the cooktop. In order to retain as much steam as possible, I recommend using a rolled up kitchen towel to block these vents while you bake—every little bit of steam helps!

How to store leftover baguettes

Baguettes tend to go stale within a day or two, and leftovers are best kept at room temperature in a bread box or a waxed canvas or plastic bag. Fully cooled bread can also be wrapped tightly in plastic and stored in the freezer for several weeks. And should you find yourself with some stale leftovers, don’t throw them out. I like to cube stale bread, toast in a 375°F oven until golden-brown, then toss them in some olive oil and savory seasonings to make croutons. Or, simply pop the cubes in the food processor and blitz them down into homemade breadcrumbs.

The post How to Make Baguettes appeared first on Saveur.

Tuna Melt Sandwich

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:42:12 +0000

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BELLE MORIZIO

Canned tuna is an often overlooked, extremely versatile delight. If you prefer to use the water-packed version for this classic tuna melt recipe, drain off the liquid before mixing and increase the amount of mayonnaise called for to half a cup.

This recipe originally ran alongside Colman Andrews’ 2003 article, “Greater Tuna.”

Yield: T4

Time: 20 minutes

Two 6-oz. cans oil-packed tuna, oil reserved
⅓ cup mayonnaise, plus more
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
½ celery rib, finely chopped
¼ cup finely chopped chives
2 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Eight ½-in. slices multigrain, caraway rye, or other hearty bread
1 cup coarsely grated Swiss, cheddar, or Monterey Jack cheese

Instructions

In a medium bowl, use a fork to break up the tuna into its reserved oil. Mash the mayonnaise and lemon juice into the tuna, adding a bit more mayonnaise if necessary, until the mixture has the consistency of a coarse purée. Stir in the celery, chives, and parsley, then season to taste with salt and black pepper.
Preheat the broiler. Lightly toast bread, then divide the tuna salad equally among 4 of the slices. Top each serving of tuna salad with ¼ cup of the cheese, then broil until the cheese is melted but not browned, about 1 minute. Top with the remaining toast slices, slice each tuna melt in half if desired, and serve hot.

The post Tuna Melt Sandwich appeared first on Saveur.

The Ultimate Grilled Cheese Sandwich

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:50:18 +0000

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BELLE MORIZIO; FOOD STYLING BY LAURA SAMPEDRO

The secret to making a perfect grilled cheese sandwich is cooking it over low heat, which brings out the subtle flavors of a cheese. Nutty and complex Comté, made in the Jura region of the French Alps, is great for grilling; if you can’t find it, Gruyère is a suitable substitute. Slathering the bread liberally with butter helps the bread crisp evenly in the pan.

This recipe first ran alongside Cara De Silva’s 2009 article, “The Real Thing.”

Yield: 2

Time: 30 minutes

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
Four ½-in. thick slices sourdough bread
2⅓ cup (8 oz.) coarsely grated Comté cheese

Instructions

Spread the butter evenly on both sides of each slice of bread. Put half of the cheese on one slice and half on another. Top each with remaining bread slices.
Heat a large cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium-low heat. Add the sandwiches and cook, flipping once, until golden brown and crusty on both sides, 18–20 minutes. Transfer the sandwiches to a cutting board, cool slightly, then slice them in half and serve warm.

The post The Ultimate Grilled Cheese Sandwich appeared first on Saveur.

Croque Madame

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:50:13 +0000

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BELLE MORIZIO; FOOD STYLING BY LAURA SAMPEDRO

The croque monsieur, the classic French ham and cheese sandwich covered in silky béchamel, becomes a croque madame when a fried egg is placed on top. This croque madame recipe first appeared in our April 2011 Special Sandwich Issue alongside author Alexander Lobrano’s article “Classic Combination: Ham and Cheese.”

Yield: 6

Time: 30 minutes

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
3½ cups (12 oz.) coarsely grated Gruyère cheese, divided
½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg
Twelve ¾-in. slices pain de mie or other white Pullman bread, toasted
¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
12 thin slices baked ham
2 Tbsp. canola oil
6 large eggs

Instructions

In a small pot over medium heat, melt the butter. When the foam begins to subside, whisk in the flour and cook, stirring continuously, just until smooth, about 1 minute. Whisk in the milk, bring to a full boil, then turn the heat down to medium-low and cook at a gentle simmer until the sauce thickens, 6–8 minutes. Remove from the heat, whisk in ½ cup of the grated Gruyère and all of the Parmesan until smooth. Season to taste with salt, black pepper, and nutmeg.
Preheat the broiler to high. Place 6 slices of toast on a foil-lined baking sheet, and spread 1 tablespoon of mustard over each slice. Top each with 2 slices of ham and the remaining Gruyère. Broil just until the cheese begins to melt, 1–2 minutes. Top with the remaining bread slices, then distribute the béchamel evenly over the sandwiches. Broil until the sauce is bubbling and evenly browned, 1–4 minutes (Keep a close eye on the croques as they cook; depending on the configuration of your broiler, the sauce can scorch very quickly).
Meanwhile, to a large nonstick or well-seasoned cast iron skillet over medium heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the eggs, season lightly with salt and black pepper, and cook until the whites are cooked but yolks are still runny, about 3 minutes. Remove the sandwiches from the broiler, place an egg atop each, and serve hot with knives and forks.

The post Croque Madame appeared first on Saveur.

Monte Cristo Sandwich

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:46:21 +0000

Photography by Belle Morizio

People have strong opinions about the Monte Cristo sandwich, a double-decker of Swiss cheese, ham, and chicken or turkey, which is battered, fried, dusted with confectioners sugar, and served with a side of tart red jelly. Some consider it a marvel; others, an absurdity. Divisiveness aside, the perfect Monte Cristo recipe is an impressive one; the resulting sandwich is a stunning creation, requiring a knife and fork at the table. This recipe ran alongside Carolynn Carreño’s 1998 article, “Fried Nirvana?“

Yield: 2

Time: 20 minutes

2 large eggs
¼ cup whole milk
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
6 thin slices white bread
4 thin slices cooked turkey
4 thin slices cooked ham
4 thin slices Swiss cheese
Confectioners sugar, for garnish (optional)
Red currant jelly, for serving

Instructions

In a shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk; season lightly with salt and black pepper and set aside.
For each sandwich, lightly butter 3 slices of bread on both sides (using a total of about 1 tablespoon of the butter). Place 2 slices each of turkey and ham between 2 slices of bread. Top with 2 slices of cheese, and then top with a third slice of buttered bread. Trim crusts, secure with toothpicks, and cut in half on the diagonal. Repeat with the remaining bread, turkey, ham, and cheese.
In a large nonstick or well-seasoned cast iron skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Dip the sandwich halves in the reserved egg-milk mixture to coat. When the melted butter foams, place the sandwiches in the skillet and cook until golden brown on one side, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet, flip the sandwiches, and continue cooking until browned on the other side, about 2 minutes more. Transfer the sandwiches to 2 plates, sprinkle with confectioners sugar (if desired), and serve hot with red currant jelly on the side.

See all 150 classic recipes featured in our 150th issue »

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Barbari Flatbread

Nilou Motamed — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 00:13:00 +0000

Barbari bread, or nan-e barbari, is one of my favorite Iranian breakfast foods. The chewy, dimpled flatbread pairs beautifully with everything from lacy fried eggs, to butter and honey, to feta cheese and herbs. Brew some strong black tea to enjoy alongside your breakfast.

Barbari bread is traditionally glazed with a flour paste called roomal, which is applied to the surface of the dough to produce a crisp and satiny crust. In this recipe, I’ve chosen to use a yogurt-based roomal, as this lends the bread an irresistible savory tang and beautiful caramelization.

Featured in “Feasting with Purpose.” by Megan Zhang.

Yield: 6–8

Time: 2 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients

For the dough:

2¼ tsp. active dry yeast
¾ tsp. sugar
4 cups bread flour (490 g), plus more for dusting
2½ tsp. kosher salt
Vegetable oil, for greasing

For topping:

3 Tbsp. plain full-fat yogurt
⅛ tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. white sesame seeds
2 tsp. nigella seeds

Instructions

Make the dough: Into the bowl of a stand mixer, pour 1 cup of lukewarm water, then add the yeast and sugar and stir to combine. (It’s okay to leave a few clumps; the yeast will dissolve.) Cover the bowl with a tea towel or plastic wrap and set aside until the mixture becomes foamy and frothy, about 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, stir together the bread flour and salt, then add it to the yeast mixture and, using a silicone spatula, stir until the water is fully incorporated. Add ¾ cup of lukewarm water and continue stirring until a very shaggy dough forms, about 1 minute.
Place the bowl on the stand mixer and, using the hook attachment, mix on medium-low speed just until the dough is smooth, 3–4 minutes (it will be slightly sticky).
Lightly oil the large bowl from step 2, then transfer the dough into it, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm place until nearly doubled in size, 45–60 minutes.
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and place a pizza stone or steel on it. Preheat to 500°F.
Place a 16-by-10-inch sheet of parchment on a clean work surface and generously dust with flour. Using a bowl scraper, cut the dough in half right in the bowl. Scoop out one half of the dough and place it on the floured parchment. Gently press and stretch the dough into a 9-inch log, dust the surface lightly with flour, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and set aside. Place a second sheet of parchment on the work surface and repeat with the second half of the dough. Set aside until the loaves are very soft and puffed but not quite doubled in size, 20–25 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the topping: In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, salt, and 3 tablespoons of water. In a second small bowl, mix together the nigella and sesame seeds.
Uncover one of the loaves and, using your fingertips and adding flour as needed to avoid sticking, gently flatten and push the dough outward, pulling the sides apart as you go, to make a 14-by-8-inch rectangle. Using your pinky and ring fingers, press lengthwise channels into the dough, about 1 inch apart. (Push deeply, but don’t tear the dough.) Brush the surface with half of the glaze, then sprinkle with half of the nigella-sesame mixture.
Use the parchment to slide the glazed loaf onto an inverted baking sheet, then use the baking sheet to transfer onto the hot pizza stone. (You can leave the parchment underneath while it bakes.) Bake, rotating the loaf 180 degrees halfway through, until the surface and bottom are lightly but evenly browned, 10–12 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack while you repeat with the second loaf. Cool for 10 minutes, then cut crosswise into 2-inch slices and serve warm.

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The Fluffiest White Bread in the World

Kat Craddock — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:27:06 +0000

MATT TAYLOR-GROSS

In spite of plenty of snobbery, tender white bread remains a beloved staple of cuisines all around the world. Editorial director (and ex-professional bread baker) Kat Craddock’s version is aerated and fluffy like North American packaged loaves, but with the enriched chew and structure of French pain au lait. She also borrowed a shaping technique from Japanese and Taiwanese bakers, which results in a delicate, feathery crumb. The result: an ethereally fluffy, generously buttery, and delightfully squishable loaf.

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Featured In: How to Make the Fluffiest White Bread in the World

Yield: 6–8

Time: 4 hours 10 minutes

1 large egg
²⁄₃ cup (160 g.) whole milk at room temperature (about 75°), plus more for brushing
3 tbsp. (40 g.) slightly warmed water (about 85°F)
2 ¹⁄₃ cups plus 1 Tbsp. (340 g.) bread flour
¹⁄₄ cup plus 1 tsp. (60 g.) sugar
1 ¹⁄₄ tsp. (4 g.) instant dry yeast
2 tsp. (6 g.) kosher salt
¹⁄₄ cup (60 g.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
Nonstick baking spray, or a neutral-flavored oil, for greasing

Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, add the egg, milk, water, flour, sugar, yeast, and salt; beat on the lowest speed until a dough begins to form, about 3 minutes. Raise the mixer to the second speed and beat 4 minutes more. (The dough should be smooth and quite sticky). Lower the speed, add the butter, and mix 12 minutes more, using a rubber spatula to scrape down the hook and bowl as necessary.
Lightly grease a medium bowl with nonstick spray, then add the dough. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature until significantly puffed (but not necessarily doubled in volume), about 90 minutes.
Lightly grease a 9-inch loaf pan with nonstick baking spray, then line with parchment paper. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of the parchment paper with more spray.
On a lightly floured work surface, divide the dough into 3 (220-gram) pieces and lightly round them all. Cover the pieces with a clean towel and let rest for 10-15 minutes. Roll one piece into an 11×6-inch rectangle. Fold the two short ends of the rectangle in to meet each other. With the seam side facing up and starting from one of the dough’s shorter ends, roll the resulting rectangle up into a tight cylinder. Set aside, then repeat with the remaining dough pieces.
Transfer the dough pieces crosswise into the prepared loaf pan, being sure to space them evenly.
Preheat the oven to 375°. Meanwhile, lightly cover the loaf with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until the dough is just peeking over the rim of the pan, 60-75 minutes. When ready to bake, remove the plastic wrap and brush with milk. Bake until evenly dark golden brown, 35-40 minutes.
Remove and let cool for 15 minutes before using the parchment paper to lift the white bread out of the pan. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, at least 1 hour, before slicing.

More Bread Recipes

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Crackly Lemon-Rosemary Focaccia

SAVEUR Editors — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 10:00:00 +0000

Photography by Belle Morizio

As focaccia evolved in Italy, across the Atlantic, Italian American bakers were making their own versions, riffing on the recipes from the Mother Country with toppings that would’ve been novel in the bread’s homeland. The 1990s, as many of you will recall, were a simpler time for focaccia. Most of it was spongy and rosemary-perfumed à la Macaroni Grill. The bread was a gateway to a world of Italian flatbreads Americans are still discovering. This version, a happy middle ground between Italy and America, tops a Ligurian-style dough with nontraditional lemon slices.

This recipe is adapted from a version served by the late, great Marcella Hazan, which ran alongside Kathleen Brennan’s 2001 story, “Memory: Steeped in centuries of symbolism and tradition, rosemary is a hardy, aromatic and intensely flavorful ingredient, virtually impossible to forget. ”

Featured in “How ‘Italian’ Is Rosemary Focaccia, Anyway?”

Yield: One 12-in. loaf

Time: 4 hours 40 minutes

1 tsp. dry instant yeast (not active dry)
4 cup (1 lb. 3 oz.) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 Tbsp. (¼ oz.) fine sea salt
¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for greasing
½ cup fresh rosemary leaves (from about 8 sprigs), divided
1 medium, thin-skinned lemon, washed, thinly sliced into rounds, seeds removed
Medium-coarse or flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, dissolve the yeast in 1¾ cups room temperature water. Add the flour and mix on low speed just until all of the flour is hydrated and a shaggy dough begins to form, 1–2 minutes. Turn off the mixer, cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel, and set aside for 30 minutes (this allows the flour to hydrate and gluten to begin to form gently while the yeast activates).
Measure ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons of the rosemary leaves and coarsely chop. Set the remaining 2 tablespoons of unchopped leaves aside for topping.
Uncover the bowl, add the salt and 2 tablespoons of the oil, and mix on low speed until fully incorporated, 3–4 minutes. Turn the mixer to second speed and mix until the dough is smooth and shiny, 3–4 minutes more. Turn the mixer back down to low, add the chopped rosemary, and continue mixing just until the leaves are evenly distributed, about 1 minute. Turn off the mixer.
Lightly flour a clean work surface, turn the dough out onto it, and form into a smooth ball. Lightly oil a large, clean bowl, place the dough in it, and cover with a lid or plastic wrap. Set aside to rise in a warm place until the dough is puffed, gassy, and not quite doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
Grease a 9- by 13-inch rimmed baking sheet or cake pan with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Transfer the dough to the baking sheet and press down to an even layer (the dough won’t yet reach the edges of the pan.) Cover loosely with plastic wrap and set aside until puffed and bubbly, about 1 hour.
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400°F. Uncover the dough and use your fingertips to lightly dimple and stretch it until it reaches the edges of the pan. Arrange the lemon slices and remaining 2 tablespoons of the rosemary evenly over the surface, pressing the lemon slices down gently to adhere. Brush with the remaining olive oil, sprinkle to taste with coarse or flakey salt, and bake until golden, 35–40 minutes.

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