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
Wow this is a beautiful bread Sowmya, especially with corn flour that’s amazing..
Super bread ! It’s about time we plan a meet Sowmya , we need to learn breads and we know you are our bread guru !
Yea we learn everytime when we bake a bread at home, and this cloche bread will definitely please my tastebuds when served along with some salted butter.
I have never tried maize flour… in fact have seen them, but never picked them up since I didn’t want to be stressed about using them… hehe… the light yellow color of the loaf is so pretty!
I can eat maize flour chapati three times a meal. This is my obsession with maize flour. I must love this cloche bread. Bookmarked
Very interesting bread with maize flour. Looks great.
Maize flour must have given the cake a very unique texture and taste.
love the gorgeous color and I love the flavor of cornmeal in baked goods