...using the same dough. I decided to make a focaccia-bread pizza for lunch yesterday. I made dough according to a recipe I had in our database (mostly recipes we've found on the internet over the years) but I accidentally poured in too much water for the amount of flour I was using (où ai-je la tête ?).
So I just kept adding flour until a dough ball formed in the stand mixer, doing it completely au pif (following my nose) or, as we say, eyeballing it. The other ingredients were 10 grams of yeast, a teaspoon of salt, and a teaspoon or two of raw cane sugar (cassonade in French). At the end, I got tired of putting in more and more flour — in all, I must have used 6 or 7 cups — so I poured in about ¾ cup of instant-cooking polenta. I figured that would give the focaccia some texture, crunch, and extra flavor.
The toppings were fresh sliced tomatoes, frozen bell pepper strips (three colors), and a cooked chicken breast, shredded (we had one left over from grilling a whole chicken a couple of days ago). All of that topped with grated Comté ("Swiss") cheese, a drizzle of olive oil, and some black olives. I baked the focaccia pizza in a big oval oven dish, in a hot oven.
Well, I ended up with so much dough that I briefly considered freezing half of it and just using one half to make the focaccia itself. Then I thought, why not just put half the dough in the non-stick Pullman-type pain de mie pan-with-a-lid and cook it first? Then the oven would be hot and ready for baking the focaccia. Both halves of the dough ball rose beautifully, doubling in volume. The pain de mie turns out to be the best one I've made so far in the special pan. It's light, almost fluffy, and doesn't taste gummy when you eat it. I think the polenta made a big difference.
Your pain de mie looks great. I'like to taste it as well as the focaccia.
ReplyDeleteMaudite tablette, it's I'd like of course. Sorry.
DeleteI've nearly given up trying to write comments on my tablet. I far prefer the keyboard on my laptop compared to the virtual keyboard.
DeleteI think I can re-create the focaccia dough. I know I put in two cups of warm water and at least six cups of flour, maybe more. And less than a cup of polenta. I can always do the same thing I did yesterday and add flour a little at a time to get a good ball of dough. Eleven grams of Chabrior levure boulangère (proofed), a teaspoon of salt, maybe two teaspoons of cassonade (raw sugar) will do it. I'll try it again next week.
Ken, when you mentioned the gummy issue - I found that if you cut into the bread while it is still warm that seems to happen. If you let it cool completely that resolves that problem. (Not trying to tell you how to bake since you are the champion in that department.) Your pullman loaf looks professional. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip. I did let the loaf cool overnight before slicing it. But I find that the sandwich bread we buy at the supermarket has a gummy texture. Maybe they stick it in plastic bags before it has completely cooled. I'm enjoying the special bread pan.
DeleteNecessity led to a new and better bread, bravo. And also Bravo les Bleus for a great WC 2018!
ReplyDeleteOh la ... I am a bread fiend anyway and these photos make me salivate ... it is almost too pretty to cut and eat :)
ReplyDeletealmost ~
That pain de mie is perfection...it couldn't have come out any better.
ReplyDeleteGreat news about this being the best pain de mie yet!
ReplyDeleteThat bread is really good. It has good taste and texture. I just wish I had a detailed, exact recipe for what I did. Maybe that's the nature of cooking — each time is another test and produces a different result. Chez moi is not McDonald's.
ReplyDelete