It has been far too long since I posted any pictures, though I have still been baking.
Here is one of the loaves baked this week.
It is the 'Semolina Bread' from J. Hammelman's book, though the name doesn't exactly conjur up pleasant images for me (anyone else scarred by childhood memories of 'soggy semolina'?). So I have renamed it.
It does seem to be a version of the Sicilian bread that Carol Field talks about in her book 'Italian Baking', with a high percentage of durum flour, and a crumb/crust packed with sesame seeds.
I especially like the idea of mixing toasted sesame seeds through the dough, giving it a wonderfully speckled cut surface.
cheers
Dom
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Replies
Very Yummy looking bread, Dom. I also like the sesame seeds, especially the way you have them over the top. I bet it tastes great!
Teresa
Put some mozzarella and tomatoes or prosciutto on that whew!
Good work!
thanks for the nice comments Teresa and Jeremy
no prosciutto for me
BTW does anyone have any handy hints for adding toppings like seeds to breads.
This loaf was sprayed with water, then rolled gently on a board covered with the seeds.
I worry about deflating a well proved loaf doing it that way. It also ends up a bit wasteful of the topping.
I have tried tipping seeds over the top, but it is similarly wasteful, and it is hard to get an even distribution.
any favourite tips?
D
Hi Dom, make an egg wash using a whole egg beaten with a Tablespoon of water and brush it on the loaf, then sprinkle the seeds. Sometimes I add a sprinkle of salt to the egg mixture. The mixture acts as a glue and it is shiny, and so looks nice.
Teresa
Wet towel, roll bread,(damp) roll into seeds l
Oh no your a vegan?
Jeremy
afraid so Jeremy
so Teresa's egg wash is out too, much as it sounds nice
[Jeremy has just fallen off his chair in disgust]
D
Nah...Jeremy's just in never-never-land.
Great bread, Dom. Other than egg wash, I can't think of any other way either. Sugar solution? But that will have to be done towards the last 5 mins.
You could also use a cornstarch glaze, which is 1/2 cup water with 1 teaspoon of cornstarch simmered until clear and then cooled or use half the amounts for small batches of bread. This might be better used towards the end of baking too.
Teresa
Ah, I should be browsing this forum before lunch. All these yummy loaves have me drooling into my keyboard...
The loaf looks very delicious. I'm thinking it would be good with the spreadable goat cheese sitting in my fridge and then some tomatoes and basil with that. Mmmm!