Post by barney on Oct 2, 2013 13:07:10 GMT
Some of you may have realised that last weekend was the traditional Harvest Festival. I had promised my local church that I would have a crack at a harvest loaf.
The recipe is simple:
1kg flour (100%)
1 tsp salt
530g water (53%)
10g Fresh Yeast
5 tbsp Olive Oil
It's the preparation that is complicated. Make a dough in the usual way: Salt into flour, yeast into water, all in a bowl with the oil on top and knead like your life depended on it. Let it rise for about 2 hrs and then knock it back.
So far so simple...
Divide the dough in half and roll out one half to an oblong about 30x45cm (or as big as your biggest tray), fold in half and cut a half-mushroom shape so when opened out it provides a base for the sheaf. Lay on a try lined with baking paper. Wet with a little water to prevent drying. Save the offcuts for later.
Divide the other half in half and with one half roll out an oblong as wide as the sheaf stalk is tall and about 5mm thick, cut into strips for the stalks and lay them on the base.
Divide the remainder in four and roll each out into a long, thin sausage, divide these sausages into 12 and then each piece in half (24 pieces per sausage, 96 in total!). Pinch one end and, with sharp scissors, make little cuts angled away from the end you are holding to represent the ears of the corn.
Layer these ears on the base, starting by creating an overlapping edge to the base and then filling in the gaps row by row until all is covered.
With the leftover dough from earlier, make two long plaits and loop together round the seam as if tying the sheaf.
Mix a little milk with some egg for a glaze and brush all over before transferring to a hot oven for 40mins (cover ends with tin foil if browning too quickly).
Do all this before the dough rises so much it just becomes one big blob and you should be fine!
If it is going to be used for decoration only it can be left to dry out in a cool oven (100-120C, day after baking in a WFO?) for a couple of hours, it will then last well without going mouldy.
It should look something like this:
Recipe credits here
The recipe is simple:
1kg flour (100%)
1 tsp salt
530g water (53%)
10g Fresh Yeast
5 tbsp Olive Oil
It's the preparation that is complicated. Make a dough in the usual way: Salt into flour, yeast into water, all in a bowl with the oil on top and knead like your life depended on it. Let it rise for about 2 hrs and then knock it back.
So far so simple...
Divide the dough in half and roll out one half to an oblong about 30x45cm (or as big as your biggest tray), fold in half and cut a half-mushroom shape so when opened out it provides a base for the sheaf. Lay on a try lined with baking paper. Wet with a little water to prevent drying. Save the offcuts for later.
Divide the other half in half and with one half roll out an oblong as wide as the sheaf stalk is tall and about 5mm thick, cut into strips for the stalks and lay them on the base.
Divide the remainder in four and roll each out into a long, thin sausage, divide these sausages into 12 and then each piece in half (24 pieces per sausage, 96 in total!). Pinch one end and, with sharp scissors, make little cuts angled away from the end you are holding to represent the ears of the corn.
Layer these ears on the base, starting by creating an overlapping edge to the base and then filling in the gaps row by row until all is covered.
With the leftover dough from earlier, make two long plaits and loop together round the seam as if tying the sheaf.
Mix a little milk with some egg for a glaze and brush all over before transferring to a hot oven for 40mins (cover ends with tin foil if browning too quickly).
Do all this before the dough rises so much it just becomes one big blob and you should be fine!
If it is going to be used for decoration only it can be left to dry out in a cool oven (100-120C, day after baking in a WFO?) for a couple of hours, it will then last well without going mouldy.
It should look something like this:
Recipe credits here
