A Bread A Day

Week Fifty-Two: Christmas Breads

Panettone, that Milanese specialty, is one of the quintessential Christmas breads, popular the world over.  Italian bakers make an estimated 117 million of them every year, with countless others made and sold elsewhere, particularly in South America.  The name, despite colorful legends that insinuate otherwise, translates to “large bread”; with loaves generally at least 6 inches tall, the name is apt.

The texture of panettone is meant to be light and airy, and is typically dotted throughout with dried fruit and candied citrus, though other additions (such as chocolate) are common.  The flavor is not over-sweet, nor is it over-rich despite the wealth of butter used in the dough, making a lavish smear of mascarpone an ideal topping for a wedge, toasted until just barely crisp.  Traditionally, panettone is made with a starter that takes days of coddling to perfect, but today’s recipe uses a more straightforward (if only slightly shorter) approach.

This recipe comes originally from Jim Lahey, of No-Knead Bread fame.  This bread uses a similar long-rising technique, requiring 12 to 15 hours for the first rise.  For some reason or another, my bread took much longer, approaching 24 hours.  The second rise took approximately the listed time, 3 to 5 hours.

All this lengthy rest, and the very wet dough, gives the bread a fantastic depth of flavor, along with a texture that is both fluffy and chewy, in the most wonderful way possible.  Along with the tiny, gently boozy bursts of rum- and brandy-soaked dried fruit, the buttery flavor of this Christmas favorite is sure to make panettone a new holiday tradition to look forward to every year.

Panettone
Adapted from Jim Lahey, via Gourmet Magazine
Makes one loaf

2/3 cup raisins
2/3 cup golden raisins
2/3 cup dried cranberries
3 tablespoons (1 jigger) rum
3 tablespoons (1 jigger) brandy
3 tablespoons water
16 1/2 ounces (about 3 3/4 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
Zest of 1 lemon
3 large eggs, at room temperature for 30 minutes, then lightly beaten
2/3 cup water, at room temperature
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, well softened, plus 1 tablespoon chilled

1.  Place the raisins, golden raisins, and cranberries in a plastic zip top bag.  Add the rum, brandy, and water, and squeeze as much air as possible out of the bag before closing.  (This maximizes the surface area contact between the fruit and the liquor, and makes sure no fruit is left dry.)  Soak at room temperature for at least 8 hours, and up to several days.  When ready to proceed, drain the fruit, reserving the liquid.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, yeast, and lemon zest.  Add the eggs, water, honey, vanilla, and fruit-soaking liquid.  Using the paddle attachment, mix at low speed until a rough dough forms, about 1 minute.

3. Switch to the dough hook attachment.  At low speed, add the softened butter 1 tablespoon at a time, letting each piece incorporate completely before adding the next.  Increase the speed to medium, and continue kneading until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.  The dough should be slack, but not wet; add additional flour if necessary to achieve the proper consistency.

4.  Add the soaked dried fruit, and knead at medium speed until evenly incorporated, about 2 minutes more.

5.  Transfer the dough to a large, lightly oiled bowl.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let rise in a cold oven with the door closed for about 12 to 15 hours, or until the dough is nearly tripled in volume.

6.  If using a paper panettone mold, have it ready.  (Otherwise, prepare a round pan as described in note 1 below.)  Dust the top of the dough with a little flour, and turn out onto a floured work surface. Sprinkle a little more flour over the top of the dough.

7.  With floured hands, fold the outside edges into the center, pressing gently, and place seam side down into the panettone mold (or prepared pan).  Cover loosely with lightly oiled plastic wrap, and let rise at room temperature until dough is just above the top of the mold (more than doubled in size), about 3 to 5 hours.

8.  Thirty minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 370º F, positioning a rack in the lower third of the oven.  (If the dough is too close to the ceiling of the oven, the top will brown before the middle is cooked, resulting in a burned top crust.)

9.  Place the dough in the mold on a baking sheet (to help insulate the bottom from the heat of the oven floor).  Using a sharp serrated knife, gently and decisively slash a large “X” across the top of the dough, letting only the weight of the blade press into the dough.  Take care not to deflate the dough.  Place the 1 tablespoon chilled butter in the center of the X.

10.  Bake at 370º F for 60 to 75 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out slightly moist, but not wet or doughy.  The crust will be very dark (but should not be burned).

11.  If using a paper mold, pierce two long metal skewers all the way through the panettone and through the papers, as close to the bottom as possible.  Hang the panettone upside down over a stock pot or between two objects of equal height.  Cool completely, then remove the paper and slice into wedges for serving.  If using a metal pan, let the bread cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before slicing and serving.

Notes:
1.  If you happen to have a paper panettone mold (which is preferable), use it by all means.   If you can’t find one, fold a long (approximately 30 inches long) sheet of parchment paper lengthwise into a strip 5 inches wide.  Use this strip to make a tall collar in a greased 9 inch round cake pan, or springform pan.  Proceed as directed.

2.  Panettone should last for about 2 weeks at room temperature, tightly wrapped.  It can also be wrapped and frozen; although when it begins to dry out, it makes incredible bread pudding or French toast.

Week Fifty-Two: Christmas Breads

Hailing from Greece, today’s bread draws similarity to Christmas breads from nearby Italy and Germany, with their panettone and stollen.  This is not to say that these breads are copycats of one another, far from it.  It might be said that they are as alike as a baguette is to a dinner roll; they may be made from substantially alike doughs, but through subtle variation and wildly different shaping, they produce obviously different results.

More dense than panettone, but not quite as heavy as stollen, christopsomos uses a spiced dough that recalls the latter German bread.  It can be as fully studded with dried fruit as you like; here, I’ve used a relatively light hand, rendering it somewhat like the less-fruited panettone.

The finished loaf, topped with its scrolling decorative Greek cross, is finished with a luxurious and sticky glaze made of honey, which gives each slice an enticingly complex sweetness, though some might find it a bit on the cloying side.  You could certainly leave the glaze off if you prefer; either way, this is one show-stopping centerpiece of a bread, and one that’s as delicious as it is pretty.

Christopsomos (Greek Christmas Bread)
Adapted from The Bread Baker’s Apprentice, by Peter Reinhart
Makes 1 large loaf

For the starter:
3 3/4 ounces (about 3/4 cup) unbleached bread flour
1/2 cup water, at warm room temperature
A scant 1/8 teaspoon instant yeast

For the dough:
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup dried cranberries
4 to 6 tablespoons (depending on moisture level of dried fruit) spiced rum, or brandy
16 ounces (about 3 1/2 cups) unbleached bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup (2 2/3 ounces) honey
1/4 cup (2 ounces) olive oil
3/4 cup milk, lukewarm
1/2 cup chopped candied orange
1/4 cup chopped candied ginger

For the optional glaze:
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons honey

1.  To make the starter, whisk together the flour, water, and yeast in a bowl until all of the flour is moistened.  The dough should look like very thick pancake batter.  Cover with plastic wrap, and let sit at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours, or until bubbly and risen.  Immediately transfer it to the refrigerator, and chill at least 8 hours and up to 3 days.  Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour before proceeding.

2.  Place the raisins and cranberries in a plastic zip top bag.  Add the rum or brandy, and squeeze as much air as possible out of the bag before closing.  (This maximizes the surface area contact between the fruit and the liquor, and makes sure no fruit is left dry.)  Soak at room temperature for at least 8 hours, and up to several days.

3.  In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flour, salt, yeast, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. Add the starter, the extracts, eggs, honey, olive oil, and milk.  Using the dough hook attachment, mix at low speed until a rough dough forms.

4.  Increase the speed to medium.  Continue kneading for about 8 minutes, or until the dough forms a soft and supple ball.  It should be tacky but not sticky; add additional milk or flour as needed to achieve the proper consistency.

5.  Add the raisins, cranberries, candied orange, and candied ginger, and knead at medium speed for an additional 2 minutes, or until evenly incorporated.

6.  Transfer the dough to a large, lightly oiled bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let sit at room temperature until doubled in size, about 90 minutes.

7.  Lightly grease a baking sheet, or line with parchment paper.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface.  Divide the dough into two pieces, one twice as big as the other.  Wrap the smaller piece thoroughly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.  Shape the larger piece into a round ball, by pulling the outer edges into the center and pressing to seal.  Transfer, seam side down, to the prepared baking sheet.  Cover loosely with lightly oiled plastic wrap, and let rise at room temperature until the dough is nearly doubled in size, 60 to 90 minutes.  Thirty minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 350º F, placing a rack in the middle position.

8.  When the larger piece is ready to bake, remove the smaller piece from the refrigerator.  Divide the smaller piece in half, and roll each half into a 10 to 12 inch long rope.  If the dough resists, cover loosely and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes.  Gently lay each rope over the top of the risen larger piece of dough, in the shape of a cross.  Using clean kitchen shears, or a bench scraper, split the ends of each strand.

Coil the ends to form a decorative cross.

The dough should be sticky enough to hold itself in place.

9.  Bake at 350º F for 40 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through to ensure even browning.  The loaf should be golden brown when fully baked, and an instant-read thermometer should register 190° F when inserted into the center.

10.  While the bread is baking, make the glaze by bringing the water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan.  Add the honey, and remove from the heat.  If necessary, rewarm the glaze before applying it to the bread.

11.  Transfer the bread to a wire rack and immediately brush the glaze (if using) liberally over the loaf.  Let cool for at least 1 hour before slicing.  Christopsomos should keep for about 2 weeks at room temperature, wrapped tightly.

Notes:
1.  If you prefer, you may omit the rum or brandy used to soak the dried fruits.  Alternatively, you may use fruit juice of any sort, or simply cut the liquor with water.  The moisture of the fruit is in large part what helps the bread keep for so long; if you omit soaking the fruit at all, the bread will not last quite as long.

Week Fifty-Two: Christmas Breads

Well, I’ll make this short.  You’re on vacation, I’m on vacation, ever’body on vacation.  Who’s actually reading this right now?  You probably aren’t going to read an encyclopedia of information about bread; but neither am I in a position to provide it.  This week, I’ll be discussing Christmas breads, as nearly every people, nation, and/or region in the world has a traditional Christmas bread.

First up is stollen, a Christmas bread from Germany.  Like most celebratory breads, it’s thoroughly enriched with butter, milk, sugar, and eggs; and like many European holiday breads, it’s full of liquor-soaked dried fruits.  But unique to this bread, there’s a roll of marzipan swaddled in the middle of the dough, which I’m told is meant to represent the baby Jesus, wrapped in his swaddling cloth (of dough).  Dusted with powdered sugar, it’s as pretty a sight as you’ll ever see.

The bread is relatively firm, and gets firmer as it sits.  In fact, the traditional wisdom states that you shouldn’t even cut into the loaf for at least three days; though some purists insist it rest for even a few weeks before slicing.  This firmness is not a detriment; it helps the loaf cut more easily into clean slices, perfect for dunking into coffee for a Christmas breakfast (or dessert).

Kept moist by the brandy-infused dried fruits and marzipan, this bread will keep for at least a week at room temperature, wrapped tightly; though it will remain palatable, if a bit dry, for as long as you can manage to keep your hands off it.  Mostly dried fruit, held together by the merest network of bread, this heavy loaf would be a delightful addition to any holiday tradition.

Stollen
Adapted from Dan Lepard
Makes 1 loaf

1/2 cup dried currants
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup golden raisins
3 tablespoons (1 jigger) brandy or rum
13 ounces unbleached bread flour
3 ounces (about 1/2 cup) sugar
4 teaspoons instant yeast
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Zest of 1 lemon
2/3 cup milk
1 ounce (about 1/4 cup) rye flour
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup candied orange
1/4 cup candied ginger, chopped finely
8 ounces marzipan
1/4 cup (about 1 ounce) slivered almonds, optional
2 to 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly, for finishing
Powdered sugar, for finishing

1. Place the currants, raisins, and golden raisins in a plastic zip top bag.  Add the brandy or rum, and squeeze as much air as possible out of the bag before closing.  (This maximizes the surface area contact between the fruit and the liquor, and makes sure no fruit is left dry.)  Soak for at least 8 hours, and up to several days.

2.  In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flour, sugar, yeast,  salt, spices, and lemon zest.  Set aside.

3.  In a small skillet, bring the milk and rye flour just to a boil, stirring constantly.  It should resemble a thick porridge.  Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

4.  In a clean bowl, combine the boiled milk mixture and the melted butter.  Stir until blended; then add the eggs, stirring constantly.  Add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients in the mixer bowl.  Using the dough hook attachment, mix at low speed until a rough dough forms and all the flour is moistened.  Without removing the bowl or the dough hook, cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap, and let stand for 15 minutes.

5.  Remove the plastic wrap, and add the candied orange, candied ginger, and brandy or rum soaked dried fruits.  Mix at low speed just until incorporated, 2 to 3 minutes.

6.  Transfer the dough to a large, lightly oiled bowl.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let rest at room temperature until nearly doubled in size, about 90 minutes.

7.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, pressing gently to deflate.  Press into an oval shape, about 3/4 inch thick.

Using a rolling pin, make an indentation in the dough lengthwise down the oval, slightly off-center, as shown.

8.  Shape the marzipan into a cylinder slightly shorter than the length of the dough.  Place the marzipan in the indentation in the dough.  If using, sprinkle slivered almonds over and next to the marzipan.

Roll the dough over the marzipan, pressing the sides firmly together to prevent any marzipan from leaking out while baking.

Press but do not firmly seal the final seam.  A short lip of dough should be sticking out from underneath the roll, as shown.

9.  Transfer the dough to a lightly greased or parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Cover loosely with lightly oiled plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 hour.  Thirty minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 360ºF.

10.  Bake at 360º F for about 35 minutes, or until well browned and fully cooked.  An instant read thermometer should register about 190º F when inserted into the center.

11.  Brush the loaf generously with the melted butter, letting some absorb before brushing more on, if needed.  Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool at least 1 hour before slicing.  Before slicing and serving, generously sift  powdered sugar over the top.