On Feb 1, 6:12 am, jay > wrote:
> I have made this rustic loaf maybe 50 times. You will not believe how easy it is and how great it turns out.
> I usually make one large loaf from the recipe. It is faster and easier than a bread machine.
>
> jay
>
> CUBAN BREAD (2 loaves)
>
> 5-6 cups bread or all-purpose flour
> 2 packages dry yeast
I have never bought yeast. What brad did you use? I read smoehting
about yeast just now. Wann play it safe.

> 1 tablespoon salt
> 2 tablespoons sugar
> 2 cups hot water (125F)
Do you use thermometer to check the temp of water? I cn just boil it
in a kettle and pour it into the bowl, right?
>
> Sesame or poppy seeds (optional)
>
> grease baking sheet, sprinkle with cornmeal
>
> By hand Place 4 cups flour in a large bowl, add yeast, salt, & sugar.
> or mixer Stir until well blended. Pour in water,

Pour all of the water at once?

> beat 100 strokes, or 3 min with mixers flat beater.

I need to save my hand from getting tired, seriously. So what is flat
beater?

> Gradually work in remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time, until dough loses stickiness.
>
> Kneading (5 min): Sprinkle work surface with flour. Work in
> flour as you knead, keep dusting work surface. Knead for 5 min,
> until dough is smooth and elastic.

It'll probably take me more thnan 5 mins.

>
> Rising (15 min): Put dough in greased, covered bowl (warm
> location) for 15 min.

Warm location? So in winter, the room needs to be at what temp? What a
bout setting the bowl near a portable heater?

>
> Shaping (4 min) Punch dough down, turn onto work surface, cut in 2. Shape each
> into round, place on baking sheet, slash X with razor.
> Brush with water and sprinkle with optional seeds.
>
> Baking (45 min) Place baking sheet in middle of cold oven. Put a pan of hot water
> in the shelf below. Turn oven to 400F until loaves are deep golden
> brown. Thump the bottom- if they sound hollow, they are done.
>
> (From Bernard Clayton's New Complete Book of Breads)

mm wrote:
> On Feb 1, 6:12 am, jay > wrote:
>> I have made this rustic loaf maybe 50 times. You will not believe
>> how easy it is and how great it turns out. I usually make one large
>> loaf from the recipe. It is faster and easier than a bread machine.
>>
>> jay
>>
>> CUBAN BREAD (2 loaves)
>>
>> 5-6 cups bread or all-purpose flour
>> 2 packages dry yeast
> I have never bought yeast. What brad did you use? I read smoehting
> about yeast just now. Wann play it safe.
>
Don't know where you live but around here Fleishmann's is the common
packaged dry yeast.

>> 1 tablespoon salt
>> 2 tablespoons sugar
>> 2 cups hot water (125F)
> Do you use thermometer to check the temp of water? I cn just boil it
> in a kettle and pour it into the bowl, right?

No! You don't want boiling water; that's *way* too hot for bread and will
kill the yeast, pronto. It's just very HOT water straight from the tap.

>>
>> Sesame or poppy seeds (optional)
>>
>> grease baking sheet, sprinkle with cornmeal
>>
>> By hand Place 4 cups flour in a large bowl, add yeast, salt, &
>> sugar. or mixer Stir until well blended. Pour in water,
>
> Pour all of the water at once?
>
I've always done so when making bread.

>> beat 100 strokes, or 3 min with mixers flat beater.
>
> I need to save my hand from getting tired, seriously. So what is flat
> beater?
>
Some hand mixers and stand mixers have a flat "paddle" attachment which
scrapes the sides of the bowl rather than just whipping the ingredients
around.

>> Gradually work in remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time,
>> until dough loses stickiness.
>>
>> Kneading (5 min): Sprinkle work surface with flour. Work in
>> flour as you knead, keep dusting work surface. Knead for 5 min,
>> until dough is smooth and elastic.
>
> It'll probably take me more thnan 5 mins.
>
>>
>> Rising (15 min): Put dough in greased, covered bowl (warm
>> location) for 15 min.
>
> Warm location? So in winter, the room needs to be at what temp? What a
> bout setting the bowl near a portable heater?
>
I've always just set the covered bowl inside my (cold) oven. The point here
is you don't want the dough exposed to cool drafts. I've made bread in the
winter many times back when I used to bake. I like my apartment to be cool
(68-70F) but if you put the dough in an enclosed place it will rise just
fine.

Jill

On Feb 1, 7:59 am, "jmcquown" > wrote:
> mm wrote:
> > On Feb 1, 6:12 am, jay > wrote:
> >> I have made this rustic loaf maybe 50 times. You will not believe
> >> how easy it is and how great it turns out. I usually make one large
> >> loaf from the recipe. It is faster and easier than a bread machine.
>
> >> jay
>
> >> CUBAN BREAD (2 loaves)
>
> >> 5-6 cups bread or all-purpose flour
> >> 2 packages dry yeast
> > I have never bought yeast. What brad did you use? I read smoehting
> > about yeast just now. Wann play it safe.
>
> Don't know where you live but around here Fleishmann's is the
> common packaged dry yeast.

Ah.. the guy was talking about all different yeast that didn't work
and then a link to Fleishmann's. It was at Fleishmann's breadworld
site.

Okay, I'll use Fleishmann's

>
> >> 1 tablespoon salt
> >> 2 tablespoons sugar
> >> 2 cups hot water (125F)
> > Do you use thermometer to check the temp of water? I cn just boil it
> > in a kettle and pour it into the bowl, right?
>
> No! You don't want boiling water; that's *way* too hot for bread and
> will kill the yeast, pronto.

Okay. 125 is about 48 degree centigrate. Pardon me, I am, actually,
was a chemist and temperature works best with me in centigrate unit
except when talking about climate.

> It's just very HOT water straight from
> the tap.

With all the minerals dissolved (usually calcium and magnesium) and
whatever else in the tap water?
>
>
> >> Sesame or poppy seeds (optional)
>
> >> grease baking sheet, sprinkle with cornmeal
>
> >> By hand Place 4 cups flour in a large bowl, add yeast, salt, &
> >> sugar. or mixer Stir until well blended. Pour in water,
>
> > Pour all of the water at once?
>
> I've always done so when making bread.

Ok.

>
> >> beat 100 strokes, or 3 min with mixers flat beater.
>
> > I need to save my hand from getting tired, seriously. So what is flat
> > beater?
>
> Some hand mixers and stand mixers have a flat "paddle" attachment which
> scrapes the sides of the bowl rather than just whipping the ingredients
> around.

I have a cheap hand mixer - never really used it - with no flat
beater. Is there anything else I can use to give those strokes?

>> Gradually work in remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time,
> >> until dough loses stickiness.
>
> >> Kneading (5 min): Sprinkle work surface with flour. Work in
> >> flour as you knead, keep dusting work surface. Knead for 5 min,
> >> until dough is smooth and elastic.
>
> > It'll probably take me more thnan 5 mins.
>
> >> Rising (15 min): Put dough in greased, covered bowl (warm
> >> location) for 15 min.
>
> > Warm location? So in winter, the room needs to be at what temp? What a
> > bout setting the bowl near a portable heater?
>
> I've always just set the covered bowl inside my (cold) oven. The point here
> is you don't want the dough exposed to cool drafts. I've made bread in the
> winter many times back when I used to bake. I like my apartment to be cool
> (68-70F) but if you put the dough in an enclosed place it will rise just
> fine.

Okay.

SInce it's just or 15 mins, that would mean I don't leave the hosue
with no heatre on which makes the temp drop to below 68 depending on
the weather. Can I place the bowl inside the microwave?

I am using my oven to store some pans.I remove them if I bake a pizza
(frozen one called greek sesame - vegeatrian - is quite tasty; But
like $8.00 for a small size (may be even smaller) pizza).

May be I'll have some room on the lowest shelf of the oven if my bowl
wiht the dough is not too high.

>
> Jill- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

mm wrote:
> On Feb 1, 7:59 am, "jmcquown" > wrote:
>> mm wrote:
>>> On Feb 1, 6:12 am, jay > wrote:
>>>> I have made this rustic loaf maybe 50 times. You will not believe
>>>> how easy it is and how great it turns out. I usually make one large
>>>> loaf from the recipe. It is faster and easier than a bread
>>>> machine.
>>
>>>> jay
>>
>>>> CUBAN BREAD (2 loaves)
>>
>>>> 5-6 cups bread or all-purpose flour
>>>> 2 packages dry yeast
>>> I have never bought yeast. What brad did you use? I read smoehting
>>> about yeast just now. Wann play it safe.
>>
>> Don't know where you live but around here Fleishmann's is the
>> common packaged dry yeast.
>
> Ah.. the guy was talking about all different yeast that didn't work
> and then a link to Fleishmann's. It was at Fleishmann's breadworld
> site.
>
> Okay, I'll use Fleishmann's
>
>>
>>>> 1 tablespoon salt
>>>> 2 tablespoons sugar
>>>> 2 cups hot water (125F)
>>> Do you use thermometer to check the temp of water? I cn just boil it
>>> in a kettle and pour it into the bowl, right?
>>
>> No! You don't want boiling water; that's *way* too hot for bread and
>> will kill the yeast, pronto.
>
> Okay. 125 is about 48 degree centigrate. Pardon me, I am, actually,
> was a chemist and temperature works best with me in centigrate unit
> except when talking about climate.
>
>> It's just very HOT water straight from
>> the tap.
>
> With all the minerals dissolved (usually calcium and magnesium) and
> whatever else in the tap water?

Yep, just tap water. I guess you could try to heat up bottled water if you
prefer.

>>>> beat 100 strokes, or 3 min with mixers flat beater.
>>
>>> I need to save my hand from getting tired, seriously. So what is
>>> flat beater?
>>
>> Some hand mixers and stand mixers have a flat "paddle" attachment
>> which scrapes the sides of the bowl rather than just whipping the
>> ingredients around.
>
> I have a cheap hand mixer - never really used it - with no flat
> beater. Is there anything else I can use to give those strokes?
>
The only other way I know would be to beat it by hand. I certainly
understand not wanting your hand to get tired; I have mild arthritis in my
hands and it doesn't take much for them to ache.

>>> Warm location? So in winter, the room needs to be at what temp?
>>> What a bout setting the bowl near a portable heater?
>>
>> I've always just set the covered bowl inside my (cold) oven. The
>> point here is you don't want the dough exposed to cool drafts. I've
>> made bread in the winter many times back when I used to bake. I
>> like my apartment to be cool (68-70F) but if you put the dough in an
>> enclosed place it will rise just fine.
>
> SInce it's just or 15 mins, that would mean I don't leave the hosue
> with no heatre on which makes the temp drop to below 68 depending on
> the weather. Can I place the bowl inside the microwave?
>
I don't see why not.

Jill

"mm" > wrote in message
oups.com...
snip[

>
> Okay. 125 is about 48 degree centigrate. Pardon me, I am, actually,
> was a chemist and temperature works best with me in centigrate unit
> except when talking about climate.
snip
110F tops or you will kill the yeast.
Janet