(revised 21 Dec 2K9) A 99

(revised 21 Dec 2K9) A 99.9% FOOL-PROOF METHOD FOR CRUMBLESS ALTAR BREAD !!!

This is a tried and true method for making altar bread which will result in a soft crust and crumb that will produce close to zero crumbs

The recipe: (makes six loaves)

7/8 cup hot water (1 cup less 2 T) <1-3/4 cups>

(2) T honey <1/4 cup>

1-1/2 t. active dry yeast <1T>

2-1/2 T light or pure olive oil (not x-virgin) (veg. oil ok) <1/4 cup + 1T (5T)>

1-2/3 cups bread or a.p. flour <3-1/3 cups>

1 cup whole wheat flour <2 cups>

1/2 t. salt <1 t.>

(The #s in the brackets < > are for an easily doubled recipe - Redeemer's loaves plus a nice treat for family or friends)

The goal is to obtain a soft but not sticky dough, the result of a quick knead and an hour ferment (rise/rest). This process may seem picky or persnickity at first but after a few times following the method, step by step, it becomes easy. Try it, you'll like it and it gets easier and faster with practice!

In a medium bowl dissolve the honey in the hot water. When water cools to luke warm (the simple addition of the honey should bring the water to the correct temperature but check with your finger tip if in doubt), sprinkle the yeast over the surface and stir in to dissolve. When the yeast 'blooms' (this will happen fairly quickly), add the olive oil, stir to combine. Combine the flours and salt in a second bowl. Add the flour/salt mix to the yeasted liquid in small measures (1/3 to /1/2 C), stirring in after each addition until you obtain a 'shaggy mass'. If stirring becomes difficult, add the last 1/3 -1/2 cup of flour/salt by combining in the bowl by hand until all the flour is well incorporated.

Turn out dough onto the lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic (min 5 minutes). Return to bowl (rub out any excess flour or bits of dough); it's not necessary to 'clean' the bowl - a little residual flour is good. Cover wth plastic wrap and let ferment (rise/rest) for a minimum of 1 hour. Your oven with the light on is a perfect rising box. When doubled, turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead a few times. Shape into a fat, flat round (seams down) and divide into (6) equal portions as if slicing a pie. Pushing and folding the three corners and the cut sides into the center, shape each into a rough ball, set on a clean and dry work surface with pinched side down, cover with tea towel and let rest for five minutes.

Roll each portion into a smooth ball by pressing down; then, gradually cupping your palm, rotate the ball, keeping your finger tips on the work surface. This works great with a well risen dough. On a clean and dry work surface (no flour), press each ball with the palm of your hand to flatten; cover lightly with a tea towel, plastic wrap or wax paper and let rest for 5 minutes. (A small kitchen timer is useful here) Repeat this pat and rest two more times. Each time the round will become thinner and larger in diameter, gradually losing its tendency to shrink back.

Transfer the rounds to a non-stick, rimless baking/cookie sheet. If sheet is not non-stick, line with non-stick aluminum foil or parchment paper. 'Press and rest' as above three more times while on the baking sheet, correcting size to nicely shaped rounds. The oven-ready rounds should be +/- 5-1/2" in diameter and not more than 1/4" thick. If they are not, continue the pat and rest thing until they are. The six rounds should fill the entire baking sheet (if using the kind of sheet kept in the Redeemer Bread Guild pantry - brand name Baker's Secret - very inexpensive (+/- 12 bucks) - available at Kroger's) and almost touching each other. See photos by clicking on the links below. Cover with a tea towel and let rest one final time; 5-10 min..

The total rest time in this procedure is 35 minutes, time to read a chapter or two of your favorite book, shuck some peas or whatever.

Uncover. Using a good sharp small serrated knife, (sur la table's tomato knife is ideal) lightly score a cross edge to edge acoss the top of each loaf. Don't overdo, let the slight weight of the knife do the cutting, i.e., 'sawing'. The cuts should be of uniform depth of 1/8", about halfway through the round's thickness and 'open' their full length. Gently spread open with your fingertips if necessary. Cutting diagonally with the axes of the baking sheet will help when cutting one loaf without the neighboring loaf getting in the way.

Bake 18-20 minutes in a preheated 350' oven, using the middle shelf. Rotate baking sheet 180' about half way through the bake time. Remove from oven and leave loaves on baking sheet for a 1 or 2 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool. The finished loaves should have remained +/- 5-1/2" in diameter & 'puffed' to +/- 3/4" thick (the "oven spring") but still flat across their full diameter (the centers may be slightly depressed) - with a nice even tan color.

When completely cool place the correct number of loaves in a plastic freezer bag and deliver them to the Guild's freezer no earlier then monday morning and no later than friday night. Place your loaves in your assigned bin(s) per the baking schedule. There is no need to label the bag if placed in the proper bin (unmarked bags can be recycled for future services). The Altar Guild will transfer your loaves to the proper sacristy on Saturday morning.

THE BLESSINGS OF BREAD TO ALL !!!

A publication of the Church of the Redeemer Bread Guild.

Some DO's and DON'Ts All are the result of observing actual loaves offered in the past.

+Do not use any flour on the work surface during the pat and rest procedure. Raw flour on the bottom of the loaf is not a pleasant experience for the communicant!

+Do not scorch the bottom of the loaves. Check the accuracy of your oven tempearture settings with an oven thermometer.. Do not use a non-insulated baking and/or a dark baking sheet. A scorched (burned) bottom (like raw flour) is not a pleasant experience at the altar rail. A scorched bottom is also a hard bottom and hard bottoms result in crumbs!

+Do not use a rolling pin to shape the loaves. Do use the pat and rest method described above. Rolled loaves tend to have thin edges. Thin edges result in overbaked edges. Overbaked edges result in crumbs!

+Do put all your loaves in a single freezer bag (per request of the Altar Guild). (The gallon size plastic bag will comfortably hold the five or six loaves used for the 10 o'clock sanctuary service) Of course, this will not apply to larger numbers of loaves used at special services such as Christmas Eve. Do not use plastic wrap.

+Do not scoop your flour directly from the container. Using another utensil, spoon or 'pour' the flour into your measuring cup to overflowing and scrape the flour level with the rim. Although you can find bread recipes (very few) that use the scoop method, this recipe definately does not! Scooping 'packs' the flour into the cup and will produce a "heavy" dough. A scooped 1 cup measure may contain 1-1/4 to 1-1/3 cup flour, maybe more!

+Do not squeeze or squiggle the dough to knead. The object of kneading is to stretch the protein (gluten) in the flour to form a elastic membrane that will trap the carbon dioxide gas released by the yeast. The proper method to knead is to push (smear) the dough away from you on the work surface with the heel of your hand. With the dough stretched or smeared to arms length, fold it back on to itself (while rotating the dough one quarter) to reform a ball. Repeat in a rhythmic motion for the duration the recipe calls for - or until the dough is smooth and elastic (think a baby's bottom). A dough kneaded by squeezing will definately be more dense than a dough kneaded stretched

+Do use a standard name brand (Kroger, King Authur's, Gold Bond, Pillsbury, etc.) whole wheat flour. Do not use stone ground, graham, etc. whole wheat.

Our goal is to produce a loaf that is consistant in size (a 'flat' disk, 5 to 5-1/2" dia, +/- 3/4" thick) and texture (soft) at each and every service. The celebrant should be able to pinch off a small piece that will leave very few, if any, crumbs on the paten or when 'intincted' will not leave any crumbs in the chalice. Remember, your name is listed in the service leaflet as the bread baker. You should be your own severest critic**. If you are not satisfied/comfortable/proud of your loaves, START OVER.

** To self-critique your bread. Is your loaf . . .

. . . very dark on the underside? It's overbaked. Use a timer, your oven is running hot or your baking sheet is too dark!

. . . the dreaded bun shape (thicker in the center)? The unbaked loaf (disc) is not flat (max. 1/4"thick, 5 to 5-1/2 "dia) before going into the oven. See photo on web site.

. . . too thin? ...with thinner edges? Throw away that rolling pin! Don't overdo the patting or pressing while shaping.

. . . too dense? Be patient with the rise. Rremember: a minimum of one hour & the dough has doubled. Also, add the flours to the liquid in small portions - not all at once.. Use the correct kneading technique.

. . . marked with a 'cross' that closed during baking? Your cuts were too shallow. They should be halfway through the unbaked 1/4" thick disc (+/- 1/8"). Of course if your disc is the dreaded bun shape, cutting halfway through the bun would produce humongous gaps. If necessary, after cutting, use you fingertips to gently spread the cuts apart while checking the correct depth just prior to putting the loaves in the oven.

. . . alligator topped? Possibly the humidity was very low that particular baking day or the dough was too dry and/or stiff. Don't skimp on the recipe's liquids, especially the oil). Be sure to cover the loaves during the pat & rest period. A fool proof technique is to soak a flour sack type dish towel with water, then wring it out of all the moisture possible before using it to cover the loaves during the pat and rest procedure. When the humidity is low, you may want to add a bit of water (a teaspoon/tablespoon at a time) until the dough feels 'soft' & smooth, like that proverbial baby's bottom.