Life Lessons in Bread Baking

If you read my last post you already know that I have a new found love of baking bread. There is just something very cathartic and meditative about the entire process. Something happens when I’m kneading the bread in my kitchen. The thought of ‘we’ve been doing this for centuries’ is hard to avoid and not be in awe of.

I recently treated myself to a cookbook purchase of Bernard Clayton’s New Complete Book of Breads. It was such a wonderful investment. If you’re interested in bread baking, I highly suggest this book. It clearly maps out recipes, does a great job explaining the inner workings of the dough, and it's just a nice read. (I’ve actually been reading it before I go to bed sometimes to unwind from a long day). Not only do you get a wide variety of recipes from your basic white bread all the way to Croissants and brioches, but you get little tidbits of life lessons from Bernard like this statement in the introduction: “If the dough you are kneading gets stubborn, pulls back, and refuses to be shaped, as is its wont – walk away from it for a few minutes. It will relax and so will you.”

What I love about this cookbook is that from the very beginning he gives you permission to make mistakes. He fully recognizes that a lot of bread recipes have been made by mistakes so we should not fear them. As a person who makes plenty of mistakes, I found comfort in this caveat.

Thought I occasionally have day time fantasies of working my way through this cookbook (a la Julie & Julia style), I understand my resources and at most can make one new loaf a week. This week’s loaf was a delicious Peanut Batter Bread:

Bernard Clayton’s Peanut Batter Bread

1 ¼ cup hot water
¼ finely chopped salted peanuts
¼ chunky style peanut butter
¼ firmly packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
3 cups of bread four
1 package of dry yeast

Makes 1 large (9” –x- 5”) or 2 small (7”-x-3”) loaves in pans

1. In a large mixing bowl, mix together water, peanuts, peanut butter, brown sugar, salt, 1 ½ cups of flour, and yeast together. Either 200 spoon strokes or 2 minutes on medium speed with a mixer.

2. Add the rest of the flour ½ cup at a time.

3. Cover bowl tightly and let rise for 45 minutes or until doubles in size.

4. Spread dough evenly in pan(s). Cover and let rise for 45 more minutes.

5. Preheat oven to 375 20 minutes before baking.

6. Place pans in middle rack for 45 minutes or until brown.

If you are interested in learning more about bread techniques, The Chopping Block is offering a Artisanal Bread Baking class in January. You'll learn how to mix yeast dough, use different flours and whole grains, and how to knead, shape and proof dough. It's just one of our intensive bread baking classes coming up in the new year!