Start out by proofing 5 teaspoons of yeast with 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1/2 of a cup of warm water. After a few minutes, add to this 1 tablespoon of salt, 3 tablespoons of melted butter, 1 1/4 cups of buttermilk, and 4 cups of all-purpose flour. A quick digression on buttermilk here. I just want to say, for the record, that buttermilk is not something I usually just have around the house. It is definitely one of the ingredients for that other loaf I was planning on making. In fact, I can't remember ever having buttermilk before, but I tasted it as I was adding it to the mix, and to me it is gross. Just really, really nasty. After tasting it I was actually a bit hesitant about continuing to make this bread. But, like with the molasses I decided to try to trust the, let's say, magically transformative power of fire (well, okay, an oven) to change foodstuffs from execrable to edible.
Anyway, stir and then knead the resulting dough...Even though this was made only with all-purpose flour and none of the denser rye flours, this was easily the toughest dough I've made yet. Kneading it was practically a battle of wits: putting all of my weight into the dough would barely dent it, and even my patented flying kneading technique was of little use! So, instead, I initially had to resort to all manner of clever folding patterns to try to evenly mix all of the ingredients together. After much effort I was finally at least able to get it to form what looked like a typical ball of dough, albeit with all the density and character of brick. Anyway, roll the dough-ball around in a buttered bowl, cover it, and put in the oven (as always, turned to the lowest "bake" setting and with the door ajar) for the
First Rising (1 hour and 10 minutes)
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I hate to break tradition (if 11 weeks constitutes a tradition) and talk about making something other than bread in this blog, but mentioning condensed and evaporated milk at the beginning of the entry reminded me of...powdered milk! Which was, sadly, a staple growing up in my house until I was maybe 6 or so. Powdered milk is really not a good substitute for real milk, but it does have one redeeming feature: the ability to make peanut-butter balls!
These were, I think, the very first thing I learned how to "cook," and they are absolutely delicious! Or at least, they were as I remember them... of course it's been years and years (*ahem*) since I last made them. But, they were easy enough for a six-year-old to make, so I'm sure I haven't lost the ability to throw them together. Basically, this is what you do: start with some peanut butter (for argument's sake, let's say half a cup), and add some honey (maybe two tablespoons). So, now the problem as I remember things is that the peanut-butter/honey mix is absurdly sticky. Clearly what's called for is some powdered milk. Throw some (I have no idea how much) in there, and stir around. If the mixture gets too crumbly, add more honey. And more peanut butter. Keep going back and forth until you can roll the mix into little balls that hold together but don't stick to you hands as you make them. Place them all on a cookie sheet, cover (and I mean cover) with confectioners sugar, and put in the freezer for at least an hour... Mmmm... tasty!
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Remove the dough from the oven, punch it down, and then knead it for a few minutes. The dough will have completely changed it's character from the first kneading...whereas before it felt impossibly dense and difficult to work with, now it will be easily handled and with an almost satiny smoothness and texture. Hmm...hope rises that maybe the flavor will similarly completely change by the time this thing is through!
After this second kneading, shape into a loaf and put into a buttered 9x5 bread pan. Cover, put in a warm spot, and let the bread rise. Because of all of the yeast in this dough, it will more than double in bulk if you let it. So, lest it spill far over the edge of the pan, keep an eye on it during the
Second Rising (40 minutes)
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Well, I had a pretty uninteresting break this last week...Mostly my routine was just the same as during the semester, except of course that I never sat in a classroom or stood in front of one. I did decide to try to whip myself into somewhat better shape, so I spent more time than usual at the gym (which is both conveniently but also, when I don't go, rather maddeningly on my walk home from the office). I like to think that I exercise when I go to the gym, as opposed to all the people I see working out there. I'm not exactly sure what distinction I'm making there...but as an example there's something both slightly funny and slightly irritating about those folks who go to the gym, spend all of their time with weights in front of a mirror while making "RRRrraaargghhh! I'm such a Beast!!!" sort of faces. Do you know what I mean? I guess that's what I think of as working out.
The only other new thing to strike over break was my reintroduction to...grapes! I make a point to try to buy apples or oranges from the supermarket each week when I go, but other than that I don't get as much of a fruit variety as I should. Which is a shame. Anyway, I had forgotten how much I like grapes, and yesterday I thought I would just snack on a few before heading out the door...but basically, I ended up going to town on about a 3/4-pound bag...that was, just maybe, a few too many grapes at once... So, plan for the future: more frequent, but in more moderation.
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Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes. After taking this bread out of the oven, you really will have to wait until it cools down before slicing...------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tasting verdict: Well, score another point for Team Prometheus, I guess! By the time this came out of the oven it still had a faint buttermilk-y smell to it, but it faded quickly and the bread ended up tasting just fine. The texture is fairly light, although it is rather denser and particularly richer than a normal white bread. The interior has just a standard, slightly rich sort of taste, but the crust has a certain je ne sais quoi to it's taste...well, I guess, not exactly "I know not what," because it's got to be the buttermilk, but you know what I mean.
Currently reading: I haven't started anything new yet (that exam tomorrow is still holding me back), although mentioning Prometheus in that last paragraph made me (literally, just now) go re-read The Gift of Fire. And then this (just the first speech...not really the rest of it).
Next week: No set plans...but something almost impossibly exciting, I'm sure.
1 comment:
Hey, I didn't know you read Richard Mitchell! Young and I went to his Memorial Service after he died (this was back in high school when we were perhaps too die-hard of fans : )
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