Garlic focaccia almost no knead bread

This one is another internet modified recipe. Our penchant for garlic bread continues, much to Papa's chagrin...'oh why another tempting bread with the strong pungent flavour of garlic!!' he is likely to wonder; but being the quintessential father of the bride, is much too decent to say so...and will make a polite 'no thanks, i will pass'.

This recipe is a simple one and the product is a super soft flavourful bread with an amazing spring to it. Enjoy

Ingredients

Luke warm water- 200ml

Sugar - 1 1/2 tbsp

Salt - 1 tsp + a sprinkling of Himalayan pink salt or rock salt (to be sprinkled just before baking)

Yeast - 3/4 tsp

Olive oil (or any veg oil) - 1 1/2 tbsp (to start with, thereafter a little every time you fold after a proofing and about a tbsp of preferably olive oil to drizzle over before baking)

Maida or bread flour - 250 gm

Garlic- 3-4 bulbs sliced thinly.

Oregano seasoning & chilli flakes to taste

Basil leaves fresh toppings of your choice - optional

Method

Add the sugar, 1 tsp salt and yeast to the water and stir to mix in a पतीला or a big bowl. Add the olive oil and then the maida or flour (we are yet to try a mix of atta and maida / whole wheat and all purpose, so will update when we do).

Mix in with a ladle or spoon till you get a sticky dough. Now cover and set aside for half an hour in a draught free corner.

After the first proof, using either your hands or a ladle and a little oil fold the dough for about 2-3 min. Set aside for second proofing for another half hour.  

Repeat this process for about 4 times. The gluten starts working and you will be able to stretch the dough as you fold it.

After four such proofing, grease a 7x3 inch round tin. 

Pour your dough into the tin. Drizzle about half a tsp of olive oil over the dough and poke with your fingers to make indentations. Place the garlic slices in these indentations along with choice of whatever toppings you feel like. Mine had freshly picked basil leaves from the garden and some oregano. Sprinkle some Himalayan pink salt or rock salt and another light drizzle of olive oil. Set aside for another half hour.

Preheat the oven to 230degC.

Then bake for 15-18 min at 230degC.

Once done, take out and keep for 10 min and then take out from the tin and keep on a rack for another 5 min to cool.

Enjoy with pasta, soup or just like that with a dollop of butter. 

Cranberry wool bread

Wool breads are apparently a rage. We have always loved a pull apart bread and this seemed just another variant. We were also tired of whole wheat breads... Just wanted a regular maida (all purpose flour) bread. 

This one is very pleasing to look at and like all the other breads here, delicious.

Ingredients

• Milk - 80 ml
• Bread flour / maida - 325 g or 2 1/4 cup
• Yeast - 3g or 1 1/2 tsp
• Sugar - 30g or 2 tbsp
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Egg - 1 and some egg white for egg wash (you can replace egg wash with milk wash as well)
• Whipping cream - 100 ml
• Cranberry -  60 g
• Brown sugar (optional) - 6 tsp

Method

Proof the yeast in 80 ml of warm milk with a tbsp of sugar.

While the yeast is proofing, mix the dry ingredients (flour, salt, remaining sugar). Add the milk/yeast mixture (when you see bubbles forming in the milk, indicating that the yeast  is activated).

Add the egg and whipping cream. (Since this is the only fat/shortening I used full cream).

Knead till you get an elastic dough.

Let rise for an hour or till double at a draught free place (I keep it in a covered bowl in the oven itself)

Once double in size, take out on a platform, de-gas by gently flattening to about two inch thickness and then cut it into six portions. Now tuck in the sides around 6-8 times and make a ball. Cover with a warm damp cloth and rest for 15 minutes.

After having rested the ball of dough for 15 minutes, take out one ball at a time and roll them out into an oval shape.

Now on one half of the dough make cuts along the long side 

Make six portions of the cranberries.

Put one portion of the cranberries on the rolled out dough. You can add 1 tsp of brown sugar if you want. 

Now fold the sides inwards and then the bottom. 

Now roll the dough into a cylinder/Swiss roll.

Grease a 20x6 cm round till. Put butter paper on the bottom. And place the cylinder in the tin.

Tip- keep the wool fold side towards the wall so that when the dough rises, it doesn't unfurl itself.

Cover with a warm damp cloth and keep in a drought free place for another hour.

Pre-heat the oven to 170deg C.

Once the dough has risen again, gently (so that you don't deflate the risen dough) do an egg wash / milk wash over the risen dough.

Place the tin in the oven and bake at 170 deg C for 20 min.

Once done, the crust will have a nice golden brown look, it will be firm and the bread will sound hollow. Take out from the oven, and let cool for 10 min. Then take out from the tin and further cool.

The bread is now ready to enjoy with a generous dollop of butter / jam.