Pan de Pelota
Today, we're making Pan de Pelota, or, believe it or not from the photo above....Football Bread.
All the problems are in the forming with far fewer issues in the making, you'll be glad to read. I'm going out on a limb today because 'artistic skills' and 'artisan baker' aren't exactly fond bedfellows in our house. As you can see from the photo above and at the end....it looks a lovely loaf...but 'football'? Well, I think so...
Very occasionally I make use of one of my bread machines. I can't remember the last time I actually baked in one of them but I sometimes use them to make dough...especially when I feel lazy or when I realise that the machine has far more patience than I have.
Of course, the same ingredients will work if you want to use a stand mixer or mix and knead by hand. Just use your own method; the one with which you are most comfortable.
INGREDIENTS
350 mls of tepid filtered water
1½ teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoon dried milk powder
25 gms unsalted butter
1 tablespoon demerara (or brown) sugar
500 gms strong white bread flour
1 teaspoon instant yeast
1 tablespoon chia seeds (optional)
milk or egg wash and poppy seeds for glazing (optional)
A note on the ingredients
tepid filtered water - tepid because it helps with the autolysing. Filtered because your water may contain chemicals that hinder the activation of the yeast. If you don;t have filtered water, use cheap supermarket own-brand still water.
sea salt - I never use iodised salt. Sea salt is so much better when baking bread.
dried milk powder - if you want to use fresh milk, simply deduct it off the total volume. I'd say 50 mls of milk would be sufficient.
unsalted butter - there's enough salt in this recipe without adding more. If you don't want to use butter, you can always use oil.
demerara sugar - I prefer it to refined white sugar.
strong white bread flour. Try to find a flour with a protein level of above 12%
chia seeds - I love them!
instant yeast - if you only have active dried yeast, use about 1.5 teaspoons instead.
METHOD
Machine : add the water and the salt. Then add the flour and the rest of the ingredients. Programme it for Basic Dough (not Bake) and it'll mix, rest, knead, rest....and so on until the end of the first proof.
Stand mixer : add the salt and the flour. Then slowly add the water and the remaining ingredients. Finally add the yeast. Mix on low speed until the dough comes together. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, somewhere warm until it the first proof has been completed.
Manual : I think you know what you're doing!
Weigh the dough.
 |
| 952 gms divided by 6 = 158 gms per portion |
Place the dough on a well-floured board and divide into six equal portions.
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| 6 portions at 158 gms each |
Roll out each portion into a long, preferably even 'snake' - approximately 12 - 15 inches in length.
Now, watch this video:
OK...the process is as follows:
Three strands towards you and three strands at 90⁰ overlapping. Let's call them north, south, east and west with north being the furthest away from you.
The North strands come down to a south-east position.
East comes over the top and underneath South
West goes underneath East
The strands that are now East go underneath the ones that have become South
Tidy up the edges on the West (squeeze them to join)
Then bring East to West and join.
Then bring South up to West and join.
Tuck all the joined edges underneath and form into a boule
Simple? Watch the video...it's probably easier than following my instructions. Having your phone or tablet to hand will make it even easier.
Place carefully on baking tray and cover very loosely. Allow to proof for about 45 minutes until it's doubled in volumePreheat the oven to 180⁰C
Optional: Very gently glaze with either milk or egg wash and scatter poppy seeds.
Bake in the oven for 30 minutes
Cool on a rack.
Go on...try this yourselves....the bread is lovely and light...it's just the artwork that I have to work at...
Happy baking....
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