recipes

Ciabatta

Ciabatta

This recipe is perfect for making pizzas and garlic bread: simply flatten the dough out and use as a pizza base or brush with garlic oil and you have instant garlic bread.
Portions:4 loaves
Share on Facebook Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 500 g strong white flour plus extra for dusting
  • 1½ teaspoons salt
  • 15 g instant yeast
  • 400 ml water tepid
  • 30 ml olive oil

Instructions

  • Place the flour, salt, yeast and 300ml of the water in a table mixer with a dough hook and mix on slow for 3 minutes (this will bring the ingredients together).
  • Then slowly begin to add the remaining water and mix for a further 5–8 minutes on a medium speed.
  • The dough should now be wet and stretch easily when pulled.
  • Place the dough into an oiled 2 litre square plastic tub and leave it to double in size, this should take about 1 hour in ambient room temperature (20–24°C/68–75°F).
  • Tip the dough out onto a heavily-floured surface and coat the top of the dough all over with flour.
  • Cut the dough in half lengthways and divide each piece in two so you have four pieces of dough.
  • Stretch out each piece of dough a little and place on two lined baking trays to rest for a further 20 minutes.
  • Meanwhile preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/gas mark 7.
  • Bake in the oven for 25 minutes until golden brown.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 546 kcal | Carbohydrates: 103 g | Protein: 15 g | Fat: 8 g | Fiber: 5 g | Sugar: 4 g
————————————————————————————————–
Course Bread
Cuisine European / Italian

Chocolate Croissants

Chocolate Croissants

If there is no other recipe in this book you try, do try this – I promise you, it’s heaven. And if you’ve fallen out with your partner, make these and you’ll kiss and make up in no time!
Share on Facebook Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 quantity Croissant dough
  • 3 Terry’s Chocolate Orange eggs
  • 1 egg beaten, for eggwash
  • apricot jam warmed, to glaze

Instructions

  • Make the croissant dough up to the point where it is ready to shape.
  • Line several baking trays.
  • Roll out the dough to 3 mm/1⁄8 inch thick and cut into 7. 5 x 12. 5 cm/3 x 5 inch rectangles.
  • Put a piece of a Chocolate Orange at the short end of each rectangle and roll up into a parcel.
  • Brush each one with eggwash, place on the baking tray and leave to rise for 2 hours.
  • Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.
  • Bake the croissants for 20 minutes until golden brown, then remove from the oven and brush each one with the apricot jam.
————————————————————————————————–
Course Bread / Breakfast / Chocolate
Cuisine European / French

Cheese and Ham Croissant

Cheese and Ham Croissant

On cold winter nights in the bakery I used to wait patiently for these to come out of the oven, still oozing with cheese. They’re great with coffee or as a light snack.
Portions:40 croissants
Share on Facebook Print Recipe

Ingredients

For the filling

  • 200 g honey-glazed ham
  • 200 g Cheddar cheese grated

Instructions

  • Make the croissant dough up to the point where it is ready to shape.
  • (At this stage you do not have to use all the dough, it can be frozen and will keep for 2–3 months. To defrost the dough, bring out of the freezer the night before and thaw overnight.)
  • Line several baking trays.
  • Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to a rectangle, 3 mm/1⁄8 inch thick.
  • Cut the rectangle into 10 cm/4 inch strips, then cut each strip diagonally into triangles.
  • Once you have the triangles for the croissant, cut replica shapes from the ham and place on the dough and top with a little grated cheese.
  • Lay the triangles with the narrow points away from you, then roll each triangle up towards the point, ending with the tip underneath.
  • Bend the ends round to make the traditional croissant shape.
  • Put the croissants on the baking trays, brush with eggwash and leave to rise for 2 hours.
  • Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.
  • Bake the croissants for 20 minutes until golden brown, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
————————————————————————————————–
Course Bread / Cheese / Pork
Cuisine European / French

Croissant

Croissant

I’ve included croissants – although not essentially a bread – because they are risen with yeast and have become a symbol throughout the world for everything French. Every French pastry chef I’ve met has claimed he has the best recipe for croissants. I’ve tried and tested them all and come to the conclusion that mine are the best! Take a bite and see what you think. You need to start this the day before.
Portions:40 croissants
Share on Facebook Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 20 g yeast
  • 625 g strong white flour plus extra for dusting
  • 1 teaspoons salt
  • 75 g caster sugar
  • water to mix
  • 500 g butter chilled
  • 1 egg beaten for eggwash

Instructions

  • Dilute the yeast with a little warm water and put with the flour, salt and sugar into a large mixing bowl.
  • Using a wooden spoon, slowly mix in a little water until the dough becomes pliable.
  • Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead well until it feels elastic.
  • Put the dough back in the bowl and leave in the fridge for 1 hour.
  • Turn out the chilled dough onto your floured surface and roll it into a rectangle 60 x 30.
  • 5 cm/24 x 12 inches.
  • Flatten the chilled butter into a rectangle about 1 cm/1⁄2 inch thick and lay it over two-thirds of the dough.
  • Bring the uncovered third of the dough into the centre, then fold the covered top third down, so that your dough is now in three layers.
  • Give the dough parcel a quarter turn so that the fold is on the right.
  • Return the dough to the fridge to chill for 1 hour.
  • Scatter some more flour over your table and roll out the dough to the same-sized rectangle as before.
  • Repeat the folding process, one side on top of the other, turn the dough again and place the dough back in the fridge for 1 hour.
  • You will need to repeat this whole process twice more before leaving the dough to rest, wrapped in clingfilm, overnight.
  • Line a baking tray.
  • Using a rolling pin, flatten the dough to 3 mm/1⁄8 inch thick and cut into 20.
  • 5 x 20.
  • 5 cm/8 x 8 inch squares.
  • Cut each square diagonally, making two triangles.
  • Lay the triangles on a lightly floured surface with the narrow points away from you, then roll each piece up from the edge nearest you towards the point, ending with the tip underneath.
  • Bend the ends round to make the traditional croissant shape.
  • Put the croissants on the baking tray and leave to rise for 11⁄2 hours.
  • Preheat the oven to 200°C
  • Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.
  • Brush the croissants lightly with the eggwash and bake for 10–15 minutes until golden brown, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
————————————————————————————————–
Course Bread
Cuisine European / French

Apricot Brioche

Apricot Brioche

Brioche is a delicate bread and, with the apricots inside, when toasted is a full breakfast in itself. You need to start this the day before.
Portions:3 brioche
Share on Facebook Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 375 g strong white flour
  • 40 g caster sugar
  • 15 g yeast
  • pinch salt
  • 75 ml milk
  • 3 medium eggs
  • 185 gbutter softened
  • 150 gsoft dried apricots, ready-to-eat diced

Instructions

  • Put the flour, sugar, yeast, salt, milk and eggs in a food mixer and process, using the blade, for about 5 minutes to a smooth dough.
  • If mixing by hand this will take 8 minutes.
  • Add the butter and mix for a further 5 minutes in a mixer or 10 minutes by hand.
  • Tip the dough out into a bowl, cover and leave in the fridge overnight.
  • Grease three 450 g/1 lb loaf tins.
  • The dough should now be stiff and easily shaped.
  • Divide the dough into 75 g/3 oz pieces and add 1 teaspoon of the apricots into the middle of each piece.
  • Fold the dough over the filling and shape into little balls.
  • Put the balls in the tins in rows of 2 balls, 1 ball, 2 balls, and so on until the tin is full.
  • Each tin should hold no more than 10 pieces.
  • Leave the brioche to rise for 1–2 hours.
  • Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.
  • Bake the brioche for 20 minutes until golden brown, then turn out and cool on a wire rack.

Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:

Cut into slices, toast and serve with lots of butter.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 601 kcal | Carbohydrates: 112 g | Protein: 21 g | Fat: 7 g | Fiber: 5 g | Sugar: 15 g
————————————————————————————————–
Course Bread / Breakfast
Cuisine European / French

Salmon Brioche

Salmon Brioche

During my time at the Dorchester Hotel in London, this brioche was a great favourite of the Sultan of Brunei. It’s fabulous when toasted and served on a bed of rocket salad, with a lemon and dill vinaigrette. You need to make the dough the day before.
Share on Facebook Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 500 g strong white flour plus extra for dusting
  • 1½ teaspoons salt
  • 50 g caster sugar
  • 4 medium eggs
  • 20 g yeast
  • 50 ml milk
  • 250 g butter softened
  • 150 g smoked salmon sliced

Instructions

  • Put the flour into a bowl with the salt, sugar, eggs and yeast and gently rub the mixture together.
  • Add the milk, then use your hands to mix the ingredients together for 5 minutes.
  • Leave the dough in a warm place to rest for 30 minutes.
  • Slowly add the butter to the dough, kneading for a further 6 minutes, then leave the dough in the fridge overnight.
  • The dough will solidify in the fridge.
  • Separate the dough into 16 pieces.
  • Lightly cover your hands with flour and roll each piece into a small ball.
  • Push your thumb halfway through the middle of each dough ball and place a slither of salmon inside.
  • Reshape, using a little flour to stop the dough sticking to your hands, and repeat this process until you have 16 mini-brioche.
  • Lightly grease and line two 450 g/1 lb loaf tins.
  • Place eight of the balls closely together in each tin and leave to prove until they have reached three-quarters of the way up the tins – about 1 hour.
  • Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.
  • Bake the brioche for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool slightly before serving.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 4378 kcal | Carbohydrates: 443 g | Protein: 121 g | Fat: 237 g | Fiber: 19 g | Sugar: 55 g
————————————————————————————————–
Course Bread / Fish / Seafood
Cuisine European / French

Brie and Brioche Parcels

Brie and Brioche Parcels

Brioche was rumoured to have been first made around the area where Brie is made, so this is a marriage made in heaven. You need to make the dough the day before.
Portions:1 brioche
Share on Facebook Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 quantity Brioche dough
  • flour for dusting
  • 250 gBrie cheese
  • 1 egg beaten, for eggwash

Instructions

  • Roll out the brioche dough on a lightly floured surface to about 5 mm/1⁄4 inch thick.
  • Place the cheese in the middle of the dough and fold the sides of the dough neatly onto the middle.
  • Turn the parcel over and brush the top with some of the eggwash, then place in the fridge for 1 hour.
  • Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.
  • Line a baking tray.
  • Brush the parcel with eggwash again, then, using the back of a knife, score a criss-cross pattern over the parcel.
  • Place on the baking tray and bake for 15 minutes until golden brown.

Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:

Serve warm

Nutritional Information

Calories: 1 kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.1 g | Protein: 0.1 g | Fat: 0.04 g | Sugar: 0.1 g
————————————————————————————————–
Course Bread
Cuisine European / French

Brioche Têtes

Brioche Têtes

A truly French bread. The immortal line uttered by Marie Antoinette, allegedly, ‘Let them eat cake’, should have read ‘Let them eat brioche’, as this was more likely a scenario. You need to start this the day before.
Portions:10 brioche
Share on Facebook Print Recipe

Equipment

  • 10 paper muffin cases

Ingredients

  • 375 g strong white flour
  • 40 g caster sugar
  • 15 g yeast
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 75 ml milk
  • 3 medium eggs plus 1 egg, beaten, for eggwash
  • 185 g butter softened

Instructions

  • Put the flour, sugar, yeast, salt, milk and the 3 eggs in a food processor and process, using the blade, for about 5 minutes to a smooth dough.
  • If mixing by hand this will take 8 minutes.
  • Add the butter to the dough and mix for a further 5 minutes in the mixer or 10 minutes by hand.
  • Put the dough into a bowl, cover and leave in the fridge overnight.
  • The dough should now be stiff and easily shaped.
  • Cut the dough into 75 g/3 oz pieces and cut a quarter off each piece.
  • Using your hands, shape the quarters and the larger pieces into balls.
  • Put each large piece of dough into a muffin case and push a smaller dough on top of each one.
  • Leave the brioche in a warm place to rise for 1 hour.
  • Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.
  • Brush the brioche with the eggwash and bake for 15 minutes until golden brown.
  • Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 145 kcal | Carbohydrates: 2 g | Protein: 1 g | Fat: 15 g | Fiber: 0.2 g | Sugar: 0.4 g
————————————————————————————————–
Course Bread
Cuisine European / French

Brie and Basil Bread

Brie and Basil Bread

I sold this by the truckful on Saturdays from our shop in Canterbury.
Portions:1 loaf
Share on Facebook Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 500 g wholemeal flour plus extra for dusting
  • 50 mlolive oil
  • 10 g salt
  • 20 g yeast
  • water to mix
  • 100 g Brie cheese thinly sliced
  • 1 handful of freshly chopped basil leaves

Instructions

  • Put the flour, olive oil and salt into a large bowl and rub the mix together.
  • Dilute the yeast in a little warm water and add to the bowl.
  • Slowly add water, mixing with your hand as you do, until all the flour has been incorporated and your dough feels soft to the touch.
  • Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 6 minutes until you have a pliable dough.
  • Put back in the bowl and leave to rise for 2 hours.
  • Line a baking tray.
  • Tip the dough out onto your floured surface and, using your hands, shape into a mini baguette, then place on the baking tray.
  • Coat the top with wholemeal flour and make several slashes in the dough lengthways down the middle.
  • Push the Brie and basil into the grooves, then rest the dough for 2 hours.
  • Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.
  • Bake the bread for 20 minutes until golden brown, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 2175 kcal | Carbohydrates: 394 g | Protein: 78 g | Fat: 37 g | Fiber: 60 g | Sugar: 6 g
————————————————————————————————–
Course Bread / Cheese
Cuisine European / French

Onion and Bacon Fougasse

Onion and Bacon Fougasse

This is a traditional French bread, flat and leaf-shaped, very much like the focaccia of Italy. It’s eaten with cheese and salads. There are many flavours that go well in this style of bread – try peppers, ham, Cheddar cheese or plain basil – c’est bon!
Share on Facebook Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 400 g strong white flour
  • 20 g yeast
  • 200 ml water
  • 1½ teaspoons salt
  • 75 mlolive oil
  • 1 onion peeled, finely chopped and fried until translucent
  • 3 rashers of back bacon, finely chopped and fried

Instructions

  • Line three baking trays.
  • Put 200 g/7 oz of the flour with all the yeast and about 175 ml/6 fl oz of water into a bowl and beat together for about 3 minutes into a thick batter.
  • Leave to rise and fall – this should take 3–4 hours.
  • Add the rest of the flour and water along with the salt, 60 ml/2 fl oz of the oil, the fried onions and bacon and knead well for 5 minutes.
  • Put back in the bowl and leave to rise for 1 hour.
  • Divide the dough into three pieces.
  • Using a rolling pin, flatten each piece to about 2.
  • 5 cm/1 inch high, then shape each roughly into a circle.
  • Using your knife, cut two diagonal slashes down the middle of each circle and three diagonal slashes on each side.
  • Brush lightly with the remaining olive oil, place on the baking trays and leave to rise for 1 hour.
  • Preheat the oven to 230°C/450°F/gas mark 8.
  • Bake the bread for 15 minutes until golden brown, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 399 kcal | Carbohydrates: 25 g | Protein: 12 g | Fat: 28 g | Fiber: 1 g | Sugar: 8 g
————————————————————————————————–
Course Bread / Cheese / Pork
Cuisine European / French