Mlečni hleb

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Prošlog meseca sam se priključila grupi blogera pod imenom Fresh from the oven formiranoj od ljubitelja hleba i testa. U novembru smo pravili mlečni hleb mešen tehnikom Dan Lepard-a, poznatog engleskog stručnjaka za testo. Suština je da se testo ne mesi dugo, već da se češće ponavlja kratko mešenje a ostalo prepusti samim hemijskim procesima. Princip je da se testo u prvom satu premesi 3 puta, i onda ostavi da skroz naraste, pa još jednom premesi i oblikuje. Prilikom mešenja se protiv lepljenja koristi ulje a ne brašno, a u samom testu nema masnoće. Hleb se peče u rerni na čijem se dnu postavlja šerpica sa vodom.

Obično hleb pravim kao hlepčiće ili kao nekoliko malih vekni, a ovaj put sam pravila jednu veliku veknu. Malo mi je testo prekipelo preko ivica pleha pa je ceo hleb dobio stomačić. Da ne bi pregoreo odozgo, postavila sam veliki pleh od rerne na najviši nivo, odmah ispod grejača, i tako pekla. Tek izvadjen hleb deluje da ima tvrdu koru, koja tek posle hladjenja (na rešetki, bez pokrivanja) pokaže svoju pravu pitomu i tanušnu narav. Hleb je ispao savršen, SAVRŠEN! Pojeli smo ga skoro celog dok je bio mlak, a delić koji je doživeo sutra ostao je vrlo mek i svež. Pravila sam ga nekoliko puta, kao hleb ili kao pogaču, i uvek je ispao super.

U receptu je trebalo kombinovati dve vrste brašna, obično i neko sa visokim postotkom glutena (Linda, hvala na objašnjenju). Pošto ja takvo brašno nemam gde da nabavim, uradila sam ono što i inače radim, dodala malo sirćeta u testo, jer sam još ranije utvrdila da pospešuje razvoj glutenskih vlakana i hleb više poraste. Recept je u principu jednostavan, i ne zahteva puno vašeg vremena, premda prodje prilično vremena od početka pripreme do početka uživanja u divnom hlebu.

Sledi recept u mojoj slobodnoj interpretaciji. Ako vam se čini da je recept predug i da ja uvek smorim sa previše detalja (moguće je da ste u pravu, ali!), samo bacite pogled na englesku verziju recepta! Kad sam ga bacila na štampu nije stao na jednu A4 stranu, preznojih se posle prvog čitanja! Mada, vredelo je. Naspram recept-romana na engleskom, moja verzija na srpskom dodje kao kratka pripovetka ;)

Sastojci:
500 g mekog brašna
1 kašičica soli
200 ml mleka
150 ml vode
1/2 kocke kvasca
1 kašičica jabukovog sirćeta

Postupak:
1. Pomešati prosejano brašno i so. Kvasac razmututi sa malo mleka. U brašno dodati kvasac, mleko, vodu i sirće. Mestiti testo 5-10 minuta, varjačom. Ostaviti 10 minuta.
2. Drugu posudu blago nauljiti pa u njoj kratko premesiti testo (ja sve radim varjačom). To kratko znači da treba da se preklopi 5-6 puta, ne treba puno da se mesi. Ostaviti 15 minuta, pokriveno.
3. Ponovo kratko premesiti testo koje sada više neće biti lepljivo. Ostaviti 30 minuta.
4. Još jednom kratko premesiti testo (to je treće kratko mešenje), pa ostaviti da se duplira, recimo 30-40 minuta.
5. Premesiti ga poslednji put, oblikovati i spustiti testo u kalup za hleb obložen papirom. U rernu staviti šerpicu sa vodom i uključiti na maksimum, a pleh ostaviti odozgo na šporetu da se testo duplira. Testo se može zaseći po dužini, lepo izgleda.
6. Kad je rerna vrela a testo skroz naraslo ubaciti da se peče 10 minuta, pa posle smanjiti na 180-200° i peći još oko pola sata. Obavezno pokriti gornju površinu da ne bi pregorela (ja sam u vrh rerne stavila drugi pleh koji je bio zaštita od pregorevanja). Pečen hleb izvaditi i odlepiti papir, ostaviti na rešetki da se hladi, ali ga obavezno načeti dok je još mlak! :)

Roundup


Last month I have joined the group of food bloggers passionate about baking called Fresh from the oven. November challenge is Tin Loaf based on Dan Lepard's technique of short kneads. Milk is used as a part of the liquid, dough is kneaded three times during first hour, then left for full risement before last knead and shaping. Dough itself has no fat, but oil is used as a non-sticking agent instead of flour. Loaf is baked with a tray of water in the bottom to create steam.

The recipe calls for strong bread flour. As I can't find various types of flour here in Serbian market I asked the group what is specific for bread flour, and got kind answer from Linda of With Knife and Fork that it has very high gluten content. As I usually add a spoon of white vinegar or lemon juice in every bread dough as a gluten fibers developing agent, I did it this time as well. I added a teaspoon of apple vinegar in 500 g all purpose flour. Regarding technique, I've followed it completely. While baking, I made an over-browning cover using my regular oven pan placed on highest slider while loaf pan was on the rack, in the middle. I baked it for 10+30 minutes (not 10+40 or 50), as I usually shorten baking time for every bread, I like the crust not to be too brown.

The loaf turned out just perfect. I usually bake small forms of breads, like this, but this time I baked one big loaf. The dough had risen above the pan a little, forming nice bulb over sqary base. We ate almost whole loaf while it was still luke warm, it was incredibly softy and tasty, with nice thin crust. Tomorrow, small peace of bread which remained from previous day was still very soft and spongy. We had it for a few times this month, and it was excellent each time.

Thanks for the recipe and detailed technique explanations.

Ingredients:
500 g plain white flour
1 tsp salt
200 ml semi skimmed milk at room temp
150 ml water at room temp
20 g fresh yeast
1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Directions:
Mix the flour and salt together in a bowl. Mix the water and milk together in a separate bowl and whisk in the yeast. Add the liquid and vinegar to the flour and mix with the fingers of one hand to a soft sticky rough dough. You may need to add a little more liquid do this a teaspoon at a time until you have a soft sticky dough.

Follow the kneading instructions:

• Once you have soft sticky dough leave it covered in the bowl for 10 minutes.
  
• Now oil your kneading surface and hands and tip the dough out.
• Knead for about 12 seconds by folding in the edges to the centre, a bit like shaping a round loaf, rotate the dough as you go.
• Flip the dough over, leave it on the surface and cover with a cloth. Wash out the bowl and then oil it lightly. Put the dough back in the bowl and cover.
• Leave for 10-15 minutes and then do another 12 second knead. You will notice the dough is already less sticky and firmer.
• Leave for 20 -30 minutes and repeat the fast knead. You are aiming to have kneaded the dough 3 times in the first hour.
• Leave covered to rise until at least 50% larger but not more than double in size.
• Tip out onto the oil surface and press the air out of the dough using the tips of your fingers so its square-ish in shape. Repeat the fast knead process (or fold in to thirds then rotate through 90, flatten again and fold into thirds again).
• Shape the dough as required for the particular loaf you are making. 2lb loaf tin should be greased and floured or lined with baking parchment (no need to line the short ends just oil them). Put it in a tin, or supported in a floured cloth in a bowl.
• Leave to rise until at least 50% larger and preferably almost double in size.
• Slash top and bake as per your recipe.

To shape for a tin loaf, flatten the dough to a square about the same width as your tin. Roll the dough into a cylinder and press the seam firmly, fold under the two short ends and place in the tin seam side down. Allow to rise (covered) to 1.5 to 2 times volume i.e. to the top of the tin.

Oven should be pre-heated to its maximum setting (R10/250°C) and with a tray of water in the bottom to create steam.

Slash the top of the loaf along it length and put it straight into the oven for 10 minutes at maximum temperature. After 10 minutes check how it’s browning and drop the temperature to 200°C if the crust is pale, 180°C if crust is noticeably browning or 170°C if crust is browning quickly (these baking guidelines are from the River Cottage Bread Book). And cook for a further 30-40 minutes.

When it’s cooked turn it out of the tin and allow to cool.

Notes:
You must use oil not flour on the kneading surface and your hands. Something like vegetable oil is good.

The dough must be quite sticky and soft to start with. It will firm up when kneaded and as time progresses.