Flowerpot Bread Recipes

FLOWERPOT BREAD

Steps:

• Tip the flour, yeast and salt into a large bowl. Pour in 300ml warm water, the olive oil and honey. Mix with a wooden spoon until the mixture clumps together, then tip out onto a work surface. Use your hands to stretch and knead the dough for about 10 mins, or until it's smooth and springy. Add a little extra flour if the dough feels too sticky.
• Brush the flowerpots with oil and line the sides with baking parchment. Divide the dough into 5 pieces and shape into smooth balls. Place one ball of dough into each flowerpot and cover with cling film. Leave in a warm place for 1 hr to rise.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. When the dough has doubled in size, remove the cling film from the pots and gently brush with a little milk or oil. Sprinkle with your choice of topping.
• Place the pots on a baking tray in the oven and cook for 20-25 mins until risen and golden. The pots will be very hot, so be careful when removing from the oven. Leave to cool for 10 mins before turning out and eating.

RUSTIC FLOWER POT BREAD LOAVES OR BREAD ROLLS

Steps:

• To prepare the flower pots:.
• Take two to six earthenware flower pots (3 to 6 inches in size). Wash thoroughly and grease them inside and outside, with lard, butter or oil. (Please use NEW plant pots, of course!).
• Heat in a pre-heated oven at 190°C; 375°F: Gas 5, for 25-30 minutes.
• Repeat the process two or three times for a good "seasoning" and non-stick surface on your flower pots.
• Before baking with them, line the base with greaseproof paper or baking parchment - especially if there is a hole in the bottom of the flower pot!
• To make the Bread:.
• If you are using dried yeast. Dissolve one teaspoon of sugar in the warm water then add the dried yeast. Leave until frothy, about ten minutes. If you are using fresh yeast, blend it into the warm water.
• Place the flours, salt and sugar in a large mixing bowl and rub in the butter.
• (Add any extras you might be using here.).
• Add the yeast liquid to the dry ingredients and mix to a soft dough.
• Turn the dough onto a work surface and knead the dough by folding towards you, then pushing down and away from you with the heel of your hand. Give the dough a quarter turn and repeat the action. Knead until smooth and no longer sticky.
• Cut the dough in to even sized pieces and place in the prepared and well oiled/buttered flower pots, which should be placed on a baking tray. Glaze with milk or salted water and sprinkle with mixed seeds.
• Place the pots inside a large oiled polythene bag and leave in a warm place until the dough doubles its size, about 45 - 60 minutes.
• Remove the polythene bag and bake on the middle shelf of a hot oven at 230°C (450°F) or Gas 8 for 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of your flower pots, or until the bread is browned and sounds hollow when tapped.
• Remove the bread from the flower pots and cool on a wire rack. You can then replace them in the flower pots to serve, once they have cooled!
• This dough can be proved in a bread maker/machine for ease and with good results. Follow your machine's instructions, I add liquids to my bread maker first and then dry ingredients last.
• Add the extras before adding the liquids to the dry ingredients and if using a bread maker/machine, add them when the "Extras" alert sounds or add them to the "Exras" tray.

KIDS CAN MAKE: ROSEMARY BREAD IN A FLOWER POT

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat, and let the onions cool.
• Put 1/2 cup warm water (about 110 degrees F) and the sugar in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a dough hook (or into a large bowl if you'll be kneading by hand), sprinkle the yeast over the water and let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Add 1 1/2 cups warm water (about 110 degrees F), the browned onions, the 2 remaining tablespoons oil, the flour, rosemary and salt, and mix on medium-high speed with the dough hook (or a wooden spoon) until a dough forms. Knead on medium-high speed, adding a little flour if the dough sticks to the bowl, until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes (or turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead, dusting lightly with flour if necessary, until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes).
• Brush a large bowl with olive oil. Add the dough, cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until more than doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Meanwhile, cut out circles of parchment the diameter of the flower pot bottoms, and place 1 circle in the bottom of each pot. Cut long, wide strips of parchment to fully line the sides. Coat the parchment with cooking spray.
• Punch the doubled dough down, and evenly divide into 6 pieces. While holding a piece of dough, tuck the edges under to form a ball, then place it seam-side down in a prepared flower pot. Repeat with the remaining dough balls, and let stand, uncovered, at room temperature until more than doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours more. (The dough will rise above the flower pot rim.)
• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven, and preheat to 375 degrees F. Bake the bread until dark golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, and brush the top of each loaf with melted butter. Let cool until warm or room temperature, and serve. (Or wrap with plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 2 days.)