It was a absolutely gorgeous day yesterday. Perfect. Everything the weather could be to be ideal, it was - cool, breezy, puffy clouds, the smell of fall...perfect. Perhaps that was why my bread dough turned out so perfect!
Every Friday the Moodys have pizza - homemade pizza. About 4:00 I make the dough. I've gotten the recipe down so well I probably could make it in my sleep but sometimes I add a bit
too much flour and the dough is tough and doesn't stretch very well.
Yesterday, however, it was perfect.
Now I judge dough to be perfect when after kneeding it and balling it up, before placing in my oiled bowl to rise, I slap it and it feels like a 3-month-old baby's bum. Yeap, that's the test and I've had four babies and their bums all felt like perfect bread dough at 3-months-old.
When the dough rises it should have a look of clouds, like the clouds of yesterday: puffy, airy yet substantial. When you punch it down to begin working on it (after letting it rest for 10 minutes after the initial punch) it should be pliable - no tearing, no ripping but stretch where you want it to go.
The pizza dough cooperated, I think because the barometric pressure was just right. I was so impressed with this dough I decided to make 2 loaves of my new bread - Chai bread. Instead of just cinnamon, butter and sugar to add with a swirling effect I added cardamon, ginger, nutmeg and a pinch of black pepper (cracked of course).
Now Emma says I should use tea in the dough
(replacing the water).
I will try that next time.
And I hope the barometer is it its happy place!
3 comments:
ok....I'm ready for some......
What fun to watch you do that small bit of your bread. And everything looks yummy.
I'm a little late with a comment here, but loved this post. I just ready a book about Julia Child and how she learned to make great baguettes in a regular oven with regular flour. I tried out her recipe in "Mastering the Art of French Cooking II" It was marvelous! It's fun when it works! Thanks for posting this.
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