West Wednesday: Bread Baking 101

Happy Wednesday! Chef Brian West is back with another delicious recipe for you to try at home. This week, leave the stress of heading to the grocery store and being unsuccessful with finding bread in the past. Chef Brian is home and showing us how to make our very own bread!

Cloverleaf Rolls

1. In a mixer with dough hook, combine all of the dough ingredients and knead to make a smooth, slightly sticky dough that comes away from the sides of the bowl (about 6-7 minutes).

2. Make a ball and place it in a lightly greased container covered with cling film. Let it rise until double in size (this will take more or less 60-90 minutes)

3. Brush a 12-cup muffin tin with 1 tablespoon of melted butter and set aside.

4. When the dough has doubled, punch it down and divide it into 12 parts. Divide each part into three equal-sized pieces and roll each piece into tiny balls. You can use a kitchen scale to make equal size balls.

5. Place 3 balls, seam side down, in each muffin cup.

6. Cover the muffin tin with lightly greased plastic wrap, put it in a warm spot and let the rolls rise for another 60 minutes.

7. Preheat the oven to 175 degrees C (350 degrees F). Remove the plastic wrap and bake the cloverleaf rolls until golden brown, about 22 minutes.

8. Remove the rolls from the oven, and brush immediately with the remaining melted butter.

9. After 5 minutes, carefully transfer them to a rack.

10. Serve warm, or at room temperature.

-14 fluid ounces flour
-5 fluid ounces milk, luke warm
-1 fluid ounce butter, softened
-1/2 fluid ounce sugar
-1/2 packet yeast
-1 teaspoon salt
-butter, melted

Classic French Bread

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the water sugar and yeast. If using active dry yeast, let the mixture bubble and foam before proceeding

2. Add the salt, oil and 3 cups of flour and mix.

3. Add in 3 more cups of flour gradually. The dough should clear the sides of the bowl and form a soft ball that doesn't leave a lot of dough residue on your fingers.

4. Knead for 2-3 minutes until the dough is smooth.

5. Allow the dough rest for 10 minute spurts and then stirring it down, transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover with a towel or greased plastic wrap.

6. Let the dough rise until doubled, about an hour or so, depending on the warmth of your kitchen. (place in a proofer if you have one)

7. Turn the dough onto a lightly greased surface and divide in half.

8. Roll the dough up starting from the long edge, pressing out any air bubbles or seams with the heel of your hand, and pinch the edge to seal.

9. Arrange seam side down on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper (I use separate baking sheets for each loaf). You can slash several gashes in the top of the bread.

10. Cover with greased plastic wrap or a kitchen towel, and let the loaves rise until noticeably puffy and nearly doubled in size, about an hour.

11. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and make sure an oven rack is in the center position.

12. Place the baking sheet in the hot oven and immediately toss 3-4 ice cubes on the bottom of the oven (this gives a delicious, classic, French bread crispness to the crust). Close the oven door quickly.

13. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and baked through.

14. Remove from the oven and slather with melted butter (optional, but delicious).

15. Repeat with the 2nd loaf (or if you have convection setting, the loaves can bake at the same time, just rotate the baking sheets halfway through baking).

Ingredients:
-18 fluid ounces water
-1 fluid ounce sugar
-1 tablespoon dry yeast
-1 tablespoon salt
1 fluid ounce extra virgin olive oil
-48 fluid ounces flour