Monday, July 12, 2004


said frisian sugar loaf

i heart coffee and chocolate, but this makes me strangely squeamish. . .

in my recent call for dutch recipes, fabulous r. kilby responded in the comments. but this gem needs to be indexed by google.
so as promised, i'm reprinting here for posterity. m. meijer's krentenbrood recipe follows tomorrow:

Frisian Sugar Loaf

1 cup sugar cubes (i personally would use brown, myself)

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

6 cups all-purpose or bread flour, approximately

1/3 cup nonfat dry milk

1 package dry yeast

2 teaspoons salt

2 cups hot water (120°-130°)

3 tablespoons shortening

Preparation
BAKING PANS

2 medium (8 1/2"-x-4 1/2") loaf pans, greased or Teflon, lined with wax or parchment paper

PREPARATION

5 mins.

With the handle of kitchen shears, an ice cracker, or a tack hammer, crack the sugar cubes. Don't crush them. Try to break them into halves or quarters. Place them in a small bowl and sprinkle with the cinnamon. Turn with a spoon or fingers until all of the broken pieces are well dusted.

BY HAND OR MIXER

10 mins.

In a mixing bowl place 2 cups flour, the dry milk, yeast, and salt. Pour in the hot water and add the shortening. With an electric mixer beat for 2 minutes at medium speed, or 150 strong strokes with a wooden spoon. Stir in the balance of the flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough is a rough mass.

KNEADING

8 mins.

The sugar cubes are added gradually during the kneading process whether by hand or under a dough hook.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 2 minutes with the rhythmic motion of push-turn-fold. Flatten the dough and sprinkle with about 1/4 cup sugar cube mixture. Fold the dough over the cubes and continue kneading. When the cubes have disappeared into the dough, add another 1/4 cup. Again work the sugar into the dough with a kneading motion or under the dough hook. Repeat with the balance of the sugar cubes. Knead for 8 minutes by hand or dough hook.

The dough will have taken on some of the cinnamon color, but this is desirable. If some of the sugar bits work their way out of the dough during the kneading process, press them in again. If the surface of the dough becomes sticky with sugar, dust with flour.

BY PROCESSOR

5 mins.

Attach the plastic dough blade.

Place 3 cups flour in the work bowl; add the dry milk, yeast, salt, and shortening. Pour in the hot water. Pulse the processor 3 or 4 times, until all the ingredients are well blended. Add additional flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until the dough is no longer wet but soft and slightly sticky. Process until the dough forms a ball and cleans the sides of the bowl.

KNEADING

50 secs.

Let the dough knead for 50 seconds.

The broken sugar cubes are added to the dough after it is taken from the work bowl. The spinning blade would simply pulverize the cubes if they were put in the bowl with the dough. See the kneading instructions above for working the sugar bits in the dough.

FIRST RISING

1 hour

Place the dough in a greased bowl. Turn to coat the dough completely. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and move to a warm place (80°-100°) until the dough has doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

(If prepared with a new fast-rising yeast and at the recommended higher temperatures, reduce rising times by about half.)

To proof the dough in a convection oven, place the bowl on a rack. Turn the dial to a low setting. The oven should be warm, about 90°. Leave the oven on. Proof for 45 minutes.

SHAPING

15 mins.

Turn the dough onto the work surface and divide with a sharp knife. When the dough is cut, moist pockets of sugar will be exposed. Carefully close the cut edges, pinching the seams tightly. Shape the pieces into balls, and let them rest for 3 or 4 minutes.

Form a loaf by pressing or rolling each into an oval-roughly the length of the pan. Fold the oval in half, pinch the seam to seal, tuck under the ends, and place in the loaf pan, seam down.

SECOND RISING

45 mins.

Place the pans in a warm place, cover with wax or parchment paper, and leave until the center of the dough has risen 1/2" above the edge of the pan, about 45 minutes.

PREHEAT

Preheat the oven to 400° about 20 minutes before baking.

BAKING 400°

15 mins.

350°

40 mins.

If desired, cut a pattern in the top of the loaf with a razor blade or sharp knife. Place the loaves in the hot oven for 15 minutes, reduce heat to 350°, and bake for an additional 40 minutes. Mid-way during baking shift the position of the tins so the bread is exposed equally to temperature variations in the oven.

(If using a convection oven, no preheating is necessary. Bake at 325° for 45 minutes, or until golden brown.)

FINAL STEP

Carefully turn the pans on their sides on a cooling rack. Tug gently on the paper lining to loosen the breads and pull them out. Allow the breads to cool before serving.

These loaves make exceptionally fine toast but must be watched so the sugar does not burn.

Yield
[TWO LOAVES]

Estimated time (minutes)
Total Time > 90

posted by fortune | 8:53 AM | top | link to this | email this: | | | 0 comments