Yeast has always amazed me. I still hold my breath as I wait for bread dough to rise. Sometimes it works for me, sometimes it doesn't. On those occasions that yeast hasn't cooperated with me, I am sure that it has been the extreme temperature (either way) that killed any chance of that yeast coming back to life. One great thing about this recipe (original recipe can be found on epicurious.com) is that it gives you the exact temperature that you want the liquid to be at when you add the yeast. This is where your trusty candy thermometer comes in handy. Have you bought one yet? I just clip the thermometer onto the side of the bowl and watch as the liquid comes down to the temperature necessary to activate the yeast.
The other great thing about this recipe is that there is no kneading needed. There seems to be a trend towards these breads that don't require kneading. In Nov. 2006, the New York Times published a recipe for No Knead Bread that turned bread baking on its end. One of my favourite cookbook authors, Rose Levy Beranbaum, has picked up on it and her blog makes for very interesting reading on the subject of No Knead Bread. http://www.realbakingwithrose.com/2006/11/holy_bread.html
I have made this bread three times now and I must say, the last time I made it was the best. Don't forget to let the unbaked loaves sit for 15 minutes before putting them in the oven. I didn't the first two times I made the bread and it really made a difference to the finished product (I must be impatient?). Another must in this recipe is the spraying of the oven with water. When Julia Child perfected her baguette recipe in "Mastering the Art of French Cooking: Volume One", she used this method. I don't know if bakers in France spritz their ovens, but if they don't, they probably have some other trade secret that gets them crusty, golden loves. Oh, before I forget, make sure to check your oven for before you turn the temperature up to 500 degrees. If you have any old spills on the bottom, you will have a house full of smoke in no time. Scrape up any old messes and wipe them away (don't use oven-cleaner and then bake this bread, or anything else for that matter).
By making this bread, you are going to look like a super-star, plus you will have the absolute pleasure of making your own bread. Enjoy and have lots of salted butter on hand!
French Olive Bread
1 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons butter
2 teaspoons sugar
1 cup water, room temperature
2 teaspoons quick-rising dry yeast
3/4 cup chopped pitted Kalamata olives or other brine-cured black olives (about 4 ounces pitted) 2 teaspoons salt
4 cups (or more) all purpose flour
Olive oil
1 egg white, beaten to blend
1. Bring milk to simmer in small saucepan. Add butter and sugar; stir until butter melts. Pour mixture into large bowl. Add 1 cup room-temperature water and cool mixture until lukewarm (85°F to 95°F), about 10 minutes.
2. Add yeast; stir to blend. Stir in olives and salt. Add 1 cup flour. Using wood spoon, stir until flour is incorporated. Add 3 cups flour, 1 cup at a time, and stir vigorously with wood spoon until incorporated after each addition. If necessary, add up to 1/2 cup more flour until dough is smooth and begins to pull away from sides of bowl.
3. Oil large bowl. Transfer dough to bowl; turn to coat with oil. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 45 minutes (do not punch down dough).
4. Position rack in centre of oven and preheat to 500°F. Oil large baking sheet. Turn dough out onto floured work surface (to avoid deflating, do not punch down dough and do not knead dough). Divide dough into 2 equal pieces. Gently form (do not knead) each piece into baguette 15 inches long by 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 inches wide (dough will not be smooth).
5. Transfer baguettes to prepared baking sheet, spacing evenly apart. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise in warm draft-free area until slightly puffed, about 15 minutes.
6. Brush top of each loaf lightly with egg white. Generously spray inside of oven with water (about 8 sprays); immediately place loaves in oven. Bake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 400°F and continue to bake until loaves are deep golden and sound hollow when tapped, about 30 minutes. Cool on rack.
*The original recipe calls for fresh thyme. Add 2 teaspoons, if you like.
