Freshly Baked Bread, Smells Great and Tastes Even Better

Post # 80

      I mentioned that last weekend we had several skills workshops up at my place.  I also mentioned that the historical reenactment group who actually hosted this event event calls this event a Muster.   Col. Shawn Gaffney's Regiment of Shotte and Pike has two such musters per year.  They have one in the spring, and one in the mid summer.  At these musters the soldiers and the camp followers can all work on their skills to be better reenactors, and from that be better interpreters to the public.  They learn the skills that any Scotsman would know if he was living in the Highlands in and around 1630.  
      People got various things checked off of their lists for different interpreter levels.  One young lad had done enough to take his second level quiz, and another person completed all she needed for her third level mastery.  Huzzah.  
      One of the workshops was on baking bread in a wood fired oven (not necessary for any of the levels, but a good, rounded education should include things that are not on the test).  It turned out awesome.  We ate almost all of it up while it was still hot and fresh out of the oven, and had it with supper.  There was very little left by morning, but we did each get one more piece with breakfast. 
      There are two schools of thought on fresh bread.  Some people like the very heavy, and kind of doughy breads like a sourdough recipe, and there are other bakers who strive to make the bread as light and airy as possible.  Personally, I always strive for the second, which is more difficult to attain in a wood fired oven, but if you are careful with your recipe and with your fire, it is very possible.  
      I ran this particular workshop and made a whole wheat bread.  Getting the oven ready is the first thing that must be done.  I started the fire before I ever even began mixing up the dough.  This is because it takes a long time for the heat to penetrate the brick walls of the oven so that the bricks will maintain an even heat long enough to bake bread.  I started a moderate fire in each of the two fire compartments, got them burning good, and then started making the dough. 

These are old photos of the oven that were taken while the oven was being built.  Note the two fire boxes.  

      About ten years ago I read a book about using a wood fired oven of this variety when we were first thinking about building one.  We took notes on things, because we had to hurry up and read it and then give it back to the owner.  The book was borrowed.  Sorry, that I can't tell you anything about the author or name of the book.  We just wrote down the information we needed.  The book was in German besides.  It's a good thing that I read that language fluently.  The book mentioned the importance of getting the fire ready.  It also mentioned that once you got the fire going you could cook in it for a long time afterward, but you have to cook things in there in a certain, specific order.  
      The book suggested to get many of the things all ready so that once you got going, you could pretty much continue baking in it for most of the day.  Basically, you start with the things that bake faster and with a hotter fire, such as cookies, and scones.  After that you move on to cakes, pies and short breads (all these things so far can be made in advance).  After those come the breads, beginning with the light and fluffy breads, and then moving on to the heavier breads like the sourdoughs.  Finally, the oven can still be used for the baked dishes (what we in Minnesota call a "hot dish," but others call a casserole I think).  Some day I would like to do that with this oven.  
      I would like to give you a recipe for the bread, but I really can't.  This is because I don't use one anymore.  In fact, when I stopped using a recipe for my bread, the bread started to turn out much better.  I can at least give you an ingredient list with basic instructions.  

Warm water, kind of warm to the touch, but not hot.  
Active, dry yeast
Some sugar

Mix these three ingredients and set them to the side to get them started  

Milk - get it heated up in a sauce pan, but don't boil it.  Just get it real hot.  

Shortening or lard
Salt, and
More sugar

Mix them in the mixing bowl.  When the milk gets hot add it to the bowl.  it will melt up the shortening/lard. 

Add whole wheat flour and also white flour with a higher gluten content.  You need the gluten, otherwise you won't get the bread to rise right or stick together at all without crumbling.  About two thirds of your flour should be bread flour. 

Add an egg (or two for a bigger batch)  Don't try to stir it all up yet. 

Add some cold water
Add the yeast mixture that should have doubled in size by now.  

Now you can start mixing a little, but not thoroughly (you can't add more water if it's completely mixed.  If it seems like it will be too dry still, and stiff then add a little bit more water.  Mix some more, add more water, and mix again.  Do this until it feels right.  Once it feels right, mix it like a crazy man with a good, solid, metal spoon.  Use that spoon like a dough hook.  The dough should still be sticky.  As it rises, the flour particles will soak up the moisture, and it will get more dry, and less sticky.  

Let the dough rise in the bowl for about an hour.  Cover the bowl and go tend to the fire.  

After an hour, pull the dough out and only put flour on the counter to keep it from sticking to it, and cut it and shape it into loaves.  Put the loaves on something (I use a baking sheet), and cover them with a towel.  Let the loaves rise for about another hour.  They will have just about tripled in size.  

Go tend the fire some more.  

When the loaves are ready put them into the oven, and pay attention to the heat as the bread cooks.  It takes about 35 to 40 minutes to cook.  Pull the bread from the oven with a piel. When you pull them from the oven check for the "hollow" sound.