Recipe: Beer herbed seeds bread (1 medium loaf)
Ingredients:
- 1 cup KAF all-purpose flour
- 1 cup KAF whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup fine semolina flour
- 1 TB baking powder
- 1+1/4 tp table salt
- 1 TB white sugar
- 1 12-oz O'doul's ember, less 1/4 cup
- 2 TB vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup flax seeds
- 1 tp each of dried rosemary, parsley, oregano, and marjoram
Procedure:
1. Mix all the flours, the baking powder, salt and sugar in one large bowl.
2. Mix all the herbs and seeds in a small bowl.
3. Add O'doul's very slowly and stir. As the beer mixes with the flour, it stirs up a lot of bubbles. Try to avoid any explosion. Save about 1/2 bottle until the seeds and herbs are added in, so that the herbs may get hydrated. Add the oil while mixing the batter.
4. When the batter is almost thoroughly formed, add in the seeds and the herbs. Mix thoroughly.
5. Grease a 8.5"x4" pan (this time I use 9"x5", but a smaller one should be enough). Pour the batter into the pan.
6. Preheat oven to 350F. Bake on middle rack for 30 minutes. Then cover with foil and continue baking until a temperature comes out clean.
7. Allow to cool on rack. Then wrap in plastic to cool overnight before slicing.
Results:
2:20pm, ingredients ready:
2:21pm, beer added slowly to the mixture of dry ingredients:
2:24pm, half the beer saved to hydrate the seeds and herbs while mixing the batter:
2:25pm, final batter ready:
2:28pm, thickness of the batter when poured into a greased pan:
2:30pm, the (lack of) spread of the batter:
2:30pm, the height of the batter just before baking at 350F:
2:31pm, leftover beer, not used in the batter:
3:03pm, loaf baked 30 minutes:
3:03pm, loaf's height when baked 30 minutes:
3:03pm, loaf covered with foil and continued baking at 350F:
3:27pm, loaf baked 55 minutes, internal temperature 180F:
3:27pm, thermometer coming out clean:
3:33pm, the edge of the loaf being easily detached:
3:33pm, loaf's top when done:
3:33pm, loaf's height:
3:36pm, loaf's bottom:
3:37pm, loaf's heel:
3:37pm, loaf's side:
3:39pm, loaf's corner:
3:39pm, loaf's top:
6:34pm, loaf cooled for 3 hours:
6:39pm, a center-of-loaf slice:
6:39pm, a heel-of-loaf slice:
6:40pm, loaf yielding 14 slices, easily sliced, giving a cut knife:
6:40pm, the crispy crust and the chewy crumb of the loaf:
6:47pm, a bite on a heel slice, very crispy crust, very tender crumb, with distinctive chewy bites on the seeds:
7:31pm, remaining slices wrapped to freeze:
Next day, comparison of three recent loaves (all frozen): the oatmeal flaxseed bread (bottom left), the zucchini quick bread (top), and the beer herbed seeds bread (bottom right):
Observations:
1. In my last few experiments, I try out quick breads. What I have noticed is that wheat-based quick breads tend to have a more dramatic oven spring, but also fall back much more substantially than wheat-based yeast breads. This is probably because the gluten has not developed enough to hold the shape of the quick bread. The preparation time of quick bread is usually less than 30 minutes. There is no time to proof the yeast or to let the dough rise. If any gluten develops at all, it's during the mixing time and the beginning of the baking.
2. According to the KAF whole grain cook book, "practically all quick breads benefit from an overnight rest before slicing. The moisture in the dough redistributes itself as the breads sits, improving its texture and slicing qualities. This characteristic couldn't be better suited for whole grains, which become even more appetizing when given some extra time to absorb the loaf's moisture. The bran softens, the flavors meld, and any spices or vanilla have more time to evenly suffuse the bread."
3. Indeed, after allowing the loaf to cool for 3 hours, the loaf is a lot easier to slice. The flavor is very good. I like the rich combination of herbs and seeds, along with some unusual sweet that comes from the beer.
