At Pebble Soup HQ, Easter is secular affair. An opportunity to curdle up on the sofa, eat chocolates, take time to enjoy a long week-end without any pressure. However this year there was a concession made to traditions.
Traditionally Easter is a gardening week-end so I joined the crowd got the flower pots out......and baked bread in them.
In the beginnings people baked bread in all manners of terracotta containers. Now days we are more likely to use metal, silicone or glass.
How to bake in a flower pot:
You'll need a medium size flower pot, preferably unglazed. The pot will have to be thoroughly washed with washing up liquid, rinsed several times and soaked for 10 minutes. Since terracotta retains moisture it is perfect to get a nice crust.
If the bottom has a hole you'll need to cover that with baking parchment, personally and to avoid seasoning the pot I line the whole of the pot with a parchment.
To season a pot take a brush or a piece of kitchen paper and grease it inside and outside, with lard, butter or oil. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 190°C or Gas 5, for 25-30 minutes. Repeat the process 3 or 4 times before use it for baking.
Take care when you get the pots out of the oven, as they convey the heat nicely and are hot.
Tip:
Think speciality bread: walnuts or dried tomatoes etc, as the bread is likely to be half the size of an ordinary bread + you might want to cook an extra. These bread pot are excellent as gifts.
Cheese Bread
250g Flour
5 grams Salt
7 grams Dry Activated Yeast (1 sachets)
100 grams Shredded Cheddar Cheese or 70g Parmesan + 30 Cheddar
130 ml warm water
5 grams Salt
7 grams Dry Activated Yeast (1 sachets)
100 grams Shredded Cheddar Cheese or 70g Parmesan + 30 Cheddar
130 ml warm water
In a food processor mix flour, salt, yeast and add water last
Process for a minute
Add the cheese
Process until you get a ball
place in the flower pot
put the put in a plastic bag, close
when the dough has doubled its size
place in warm oven gas 200C mark 6 or 35 minutes
retrieve from oven taking care its should slide out of the pot easily
Place on a grid to cool
can go back in the pot for display when cool.
2 comments:
beautiful... I love this idea but always forget it when baking... and i've JUST baked some bread!... very pretty x
Thanks, I had to be reminded too & that came about when I toured Covent Garden food market last Thursday. The big plus is the crusty top and the much softer body. Baking in Terracotta is really a plus.
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