Don't pummel your dough in a blanket of flour: learn to tenderly knead it on a clean surface without any extra flour.
When I first started baking bread about ten months ago, I found the most vocal sources on the internet peddled the above heavy duty technique. After consulting a few authoritative books - and a little of my own trial and error - a simple, more considered approach emerged.
It might seem strange at first, working wet sticky dough in your hands. But any additional flour spread accross the work surface gets picked up by the dough and makes a much denser bread - a brick! Kneading without the extra flour makes for a far quicker method - just keep folding in air, with a gentle, consistent mix for no more than five minutes. Then cover your dough with a clean tea towel and leave it to rest for a further five minutes.
Return to the dough and behold, although still a little sticky the dough is now a smooth cohesive whole; it should feel light and airy. Give it a dozen more kneads and then, with a sparing amount of flour form the dough into a ball on the work surface and transfer to a bowl to rest and rise. Simple.
I have a bread making machine, but I suppose that's cheating. In any case, it just sits in the cupboard. After an initial flurry of bread making, I'm afraid I lost interest, but I do write crime fiction, which I see is another of your interests. Feel free to visit my blog where I write about my experience as an author. The first book in my series was published about four months ago, and my publisher has already had to reprint it. The second is currently with my editor. I have to say, I find writing books easier than making bread, if a little more time consuming.
ReplyDeleteI have two friends who have each written a novel. One got as far as writing a first draft, the other got as far as receiving rejection letters. As someone who has always wanted to write a book I find a written novel a very impressive accomplishment, even if it remains unpublished.
ReplyDeleteI'll definitely give your book a read, though I've just started reading James Ellroy's hefty new book which will keep me busy for a few weeks.