Brown Farmhouse - BC20 Back to basics

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Brown bread flour contains about 85% of the original grain. A good deal of the bran and germ are retained. It's darker than strong white flour and 'nuttier'. It's not as 'entire' as wholemeal - it sits in the middle between white and wholemeal. 

As a child, brown bread was always seen as 'healthier' than white bread. These days, it's quite hard to source good strong brown flour. In the UK, your best bet is Morrisons, Sainsbury's or Waitrose. 

Flour

We bake with various types of strong flour.  

White bread flour - white flour is made by sieving out the coarser particles from the whole grain. It keeps about 75% of the grain - but most of the bran and the germ are removed.

Brown bread flour - brown flour contains about 85% of the original grain. Some bran and germ are retained. This is the flour I'm using today. 15% protein. 

Wholemeal flour - wholemeal flour is made from the entire grain. it keeps the nutrients in the bran and the germ

Malted wheat grain flour - malted wheat grain is either brown or wholemeal with malted grains added.

Wheatgerm flour - Wheat germ is either brown or white flour with 10% wheatgerm added

Stoneground flour - wholemeal flour which has been milled between two stones.

Water

If you have heavily chlorinated tap water, either draw it early and allow time for the chlorine to dissipate or use a supermarket's own-brand still water. 

Ideally, use filtered water and, if you have your own spring...that's a treasure. 

Oil

I use olive oil. Oil is added to soften the crust and also extend the life of the bread. 

Salt

I never use iodised salt. Spend a little more and treat yourself to sea salt. Kosher salt and Himalayan salt are both good when ground. 

Yeast

The easiest yeast for this bread is the active instant dried yeast. It needs no preparation or activation and is easily absorbed into the bread. If you want to use dried yeast, draw a little water from the quantity below and activate it in that before adding to the mix. 

What else will I need? 

Traditionally, the Brown bread loaf was baked in 2lb tins....that's what I'm using today. 

However, as with most generic bread, it's all in the shaping. You can bake this free form as a boule or batard on baking steel, pizza stone or baking sheet. 

And, if you like your sandwiches in a conventional square slice form...why not buy a Pullman tin? 

Ready?  Let's go!

INGREDIENTS

500 gms of strong brown bread flour - I'm using Morrisons's Strong Bown bread flour at 15. protein 

320 gms of tepid water

15 gms olive or vegetable oil

1 heaped teaspoon of instant active yeast

1 teaspoon crushed sea salt - from Ynys Môn, the Isle of Anglesey, off the coast of North Wales. 

If you want to double up these quantities to make more bread and maximise the space in your oven...

1000 gms of strong brown bread flour

640 gms tepid water

30 gms olive oil

2 teaspoons crushed sea salt

1½ teaspoon instant active yeast.

extras

flour for dusting

METHOD

In a bread machine 

Add the water and salt first. Then add the remainder of the ingredients and finally, the yeast. 

Use a basic dough programme (afterwards move on to Stage 3) OR an instant start programme (e.g. pizza) and then remove the dough from the machine when it has become silky and smooth (8 minutes) and proceed to Stage 2 below.

In a stand mixer

Add the flour and dry ingredients (but not the yeast).

Slowly add the water and yeast on a low setting until all has been absorbed.

Switch to a medium setting and continue to mix until you have a soft and silky dough. Remove the dough and proceed to Stage 2 below

Hand mixing 

Stage 1

Add the flour and salt into a large bowl and mix them together. 

Add the oil and the yeast and the water and bring the dough together. 

Tip onto an un-floured board and knead for about 10 minutes until you have a soft and silky dough.

Stage 2 (join here if you've been mixing by stand, instant start bread machine programme or by hand

Place the dough in a lightly-oiled bowl, ensuring all the dough is coated. Cover and place in a warm spot (19⁰C - 24⁰C) for about an hour or until it has doubled in volume.

WATCH THE DOUGH, NOT THE CLOCK

Stage 3 (join here if you've produced your dough by bread machine)

Prepare your baking tin(s). 

Tip the dough out onto a floured board. 

Knock back and flatten into a rough circle. 

If you're shaping for a tin, bring in the sides so that you have a rough 'A' shape with the narrow end at the top and the bottom edge roughly the width of your tin. Bring over the top edge to a third and press down, start to roll the dough towards you until you have a compact shape that will transfer, smooth-side up into your prepared tin. 

If you are shaping for a baking sheet, you can use the technique above and produce a 'batard' shape or, alternatively, bring all the edges into the middle, turn the dough over and roll the dough into a ball, or boule, draw it gently around the worktop towards you and then away from you to create some surface tension. Place it on the baking sheet. 

If you're using a Pullman pan, fill the pan to halfway using the first technique but then do not replace the lid until the dough has risen to within an inch of the top of the tin. Keep an eye on the dough. If it goes too far, it doesn't matter - just bake it without the lid. 

Place the dough, covered with a cloth or paper, in a warm spot until it doubles in volume. This might take 30 - 40 minutes, but it might take a little longer....or not. 

WATCH THE DOUGH, NOT THE CLOCK 

Stage 4

Preheat the oven to 200⁰C.

Dust the top of the loaf with a little flour. Make one sharp slash with a knife or blade down the middle of the loaf from one end to the other. 

If you want a crisper crust - mist the inside of the oven with water just before and immediately after adding the loaf. You can also mist the surface of the loaf. 

Bake the loaf for about 30 minutes until it is golden brown and hollow when tapped on the underneath.

Remove from the baking sheet, tin or Pullman tin and cool on a rack. 

Happy Baking