Cumin Braai Bread Recipes

CUMIN BREAD

Steps:

• Scald the milk. Add honey, oil, salt and cumin seed. Add orange juice (it will curdle) and cool to lukewarm.
• In mixer bowl combine yeast and warm water with sugar and let sit until bubbly.
• Add milk/juice mixture. Add 3 cups unbleached white flour in 1/2 cup increments and beat at medium speed for 2 minutes.
• Mix and rough sift the rye and whole wheat flour to remove coarse bran hulls (which are in homeground but probably not in store bought) and when the 2 minutes are up, add the combined rye and whole wheat flours in half cup increments (this method of adding the flour is important unless you want to make bricks). You are waiting for a shaggy mass that pulls away from sides of bowl.
• Resting: Now turn off the machine and clean up your mess. Oil the bowl for the first rising. Call your mother. Play with the cat. (It's hard to break stride at this point but it's a crucial step.) You want the flours to absorb maximum moisture. Run the machine a few seconds to evaluate the sticky factor and then change to the dough hook.
• Kneading: Machine knead for 8 minutes. Push and shove the dough into the hook, always keeping dough involved. Stay alert or you'll lose the paddle and your hand. Frequent finger sprinkles of unbleached white flour keep the stickiness in control. Don't leave the machine unattended since the dough may look smooth and elastic and grasp the hook naturally and in another second it turns viciously sticky and avoids the hook.
• Turn dough out to a lightly floured counter space. Hand knead until you are satisfied with the dough.
• First rise: Lightly oil a bowl, turn the dough in it and cover with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise until it is at least doubled.
• Prepare for baking: Place a baking stone (or clay tiles that can be used for bread baking) in your oven. Turn on oven to 400.
• Shape the loaf: Turn out to a floured counter top and knead out any air bubbles. Then form the loaf into a football shape. (Beginning bread bakers should consult a good article or book to learn how to shape free-form loaves, or get an experienced bread-baking friend to show you how.).
• Second rise: Set up the bread's "home" for the second rise. You can use parchment paper on a peel (huge wooden paddle) but an inverted cookie sheet will do. Sprinkle parchment paper with cornmeal. Gently place dough in the center and cover with a terrycloth towel. (Don't worry about weight of towel -- yeast is mighty strong at this point.) Leave loaf until it is nearly double (about 25 minutes or more). UNDER rising is better since, if it rises too high, it will not oven spring and it may even collapse. Over-rising on first rise can be a blessing. On second rise, too high is a disaster.
• Slashing the loaf: Before putting in oven, with a single edge razor blade, make three long slashes. Don't do a direct north/south (ceiling to floor) slash but rather keep the blade almost parallel to the floor. This way the slashed dough will fold out and be even rather than form gullies.
• Baking: With a minimum of vibration, carefully slide the dough AND the paper into the oven.
• After 15 minutes it will be possible to gently pull the paper out (it will start to brown) and change position of the loaf which should have sprung in the oven. Be gentle, the crust is extremely fragile at this stage and if you break it, the steam will escape and it won't cook chewy.
• Turn the heat down to 350 and let it bake another 40 minutes or so. Occasionally change the loaf's position because of oven hot spots. After 40 minutes lift loaf and tap bottom. If it sounds hollow it is done. If you have any doubt, return to oven another 5 minutes or so.
• Remove to a wire rack (a spare cold oven rack will do). Let cool.

CUMIN BRAAI BREAD

Steps:

• Combine the cumin and ginger in a small saute pan and toast over low heat until fragrant, about two minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Combine the yeast, brown sugar and warm water in a small bowl, stirring to mix. Let sit until the yeast begins to bubble, 5-10 minutes.
• Combine the flours, toasted spices and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Pour in the yeast mixture and mix on low speed with the paddle attachment until well-combined. With the mixer running, pour in the butter and mix until well-incorporated. Switch to the dough hook and knead the dough until smooth and elastic, about seven minutes.
• Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover with a damp cloth or oiled plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot for 30-45 minutes, until almost doubled in size.
• Punch down the dough and cut it in half. Shape each half into a ball. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray or grease it. Place the dough on the baking sheet, cover with a damp cloth or oiled plastic wrap, and let sit in a warm place for another 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush the tops of the loaves with the egg wash. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped.

CUMIN QUICK BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl stir together the flour, the sugar, the baking powder, the ground cumin, the cuminseed, the mustard, and the salt. In a bowl whisk together the eggs, the milk, and the oil and stir the mixture into the flour mixture, stirring the batter until it is just moistened. Pour the batter into a well-buttered loaf pan, 11 by 4 1/2 by 2 3/4 inches, or 9 by 5 by 3 inches, and b it in the middle of a preheated 350°F oven for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the pan on a rack for 15 minutes, turn it out onto the rack, and let cool completely.

TOMATO-CUMIN BREAD

Steps:

• Combine the flour and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt in a mixing bowl, add the water, and stir until mixture forms a dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Place in a clean bowl, cover, and let stand 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, puree the butter, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, tomatoes, cumin seeds and pepper in a food processor. Set aside.
• Divide the dough into 12 pieces. Place on a floured surface and flatten each piece with the palm of your hand. Cover all but 1 piece with plastic wrap; do not stack. Roll 1 piece of the dough into a 5 1/2- to 6-inch circle. Spread with a rounded 1/2 teaspoon of the tomato butter. (Leftover butter can be frozen.)
• Roll the dough up tightly, making a long, ropelike strip. Starting at one end, tightly coil the strip like a pinwheel, and press the other end onto the outer edge to make an even round. Gently flatten with your palm, then roll the dough back into a 5 1/2-inch circle. Repeat with the remaining dough, refrigerating the finished ones on a parchment-lined baking sheet if your kitchen is warm.
• Heat a large cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium heat. Working in batches, cook the breads until browned and cooked through, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side. Cut into quarters and serve hot.