I have been trying to bake with different flours for sometime now. Not all experiments are successful but each is definitely a learning experience. I found some maize flour in my local supermarket quite suddenly one day. I knew that I should grab it before it disappears again and I did. I was not quite sure as to what I should make with it but I picked it up anyway. Even if I don’t get great breads with these different flours, I know I can always use them up to make dosai or rotis and so they won’t be wasted.

Ever since I discovered crackling crusts can be made by covering the dough while baking, I have been to heaven. I love the crackling sound when I cut into the loaf and the texture it gives the crust. So when I chanced upon this recipe which has baking with a cloche and uses maize flour, it simply had to be done. Another interesting part of the recipe is that it needs no preheating and is baked in a cold oven. The only issue I faced was that the dough was too small and cloche too big and so it did not rise as much as I thought it would but nevertheless it was a delicious bread, more so when toasted with olive oil.

Recipe adapted from here

Makes 1 medium loaf

WHAT WE NEED

200 gms All purpose flour

65 gms Maize flour

175 gms Warm water

1 tsp Instant yeast

3/4 tsp Salt

1 tbsp Olive oil

2 tsp garlic / onion powder / mixed dried herbs (optional)

 

WHAT TO DO

• Mix all the ingredients to form a dough
• Let it rise till double in volume
• Shape the dough like a ball
• Transfer to a baking tray and cover it with a cloche / any large oven safe bowl
• Let it rise for 45 minutes or nearly double in volume
• Sprinkle the dough with some flour and slash the top
• Place the baking tray with the cloche covered in the cold oven
• Bake covered for 30 minutes
• Remove the cloche and bake uncovered for 10 minutes
• Take it out of the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack
• Enjoy!

This is part of the Bake-a-thon 2017