100% WHOLEWHEAT YOGURT BREAD (with no added gluten!)

Ihad some free time yesterday and was wondering what to do with it.Ian was in his best mood and was busy with his train set. So I set out to trying something new. It was soup supper last night,so why not bake a new bread. We were out of bread anyway and I was planning on baking our staple white bread.So a new bread it was. A 100% wholewheat bread made with the addition of whole milk yogurt. There was no added gluten to the recipe which gave me the extra kick I needed to get started.

The dough was made in a jiffy according to Dassana's recipe and was kept aside to prove. While the dough doubled in size, Ian took a nap. Then I took the dough out,punched it down, shaped it into a loaf and set it aside to double in size again. If you have never baked a bread before,be warned that it does involve a few steps and quite a bit of time for the dough to double up .It's mostly inactive time and you can utilize that time for something else,maybe crochet a scarf or read a book? I did nothing. I just sat on our blue armchair and checked Pinterest ;-)

While the bread was baking, Ian woke up and started asking for food. I cannot blame him for that. The house was smelling really good because there was a huge pot of Cream of Asparagus soup simmering away and a bread baking in the oven. You cannot even imagine how good they can smell together! I had to pacify him with some cookies instead. Later in the evening,we all had a fat share of the freshly baked bread along with the creamy soup. We are a soup loving family so our last night's dinner was a total winner!

100% WHOLEWHEAT YOGURT BREAD
Makes one 9 X 5 inch loaf

Ingredients:
3 cups wholewheat flour / atta
1 1/4 cup warm water
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons ghee/butter/oil
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
About 1 tablespoon heavycream for brushing on top

Method: In a small bowl, stir together warm water,yeast and sugar and set aside for 10 minutes till it turns frothy.
Meanwhile, mix together flour and salt.Once the yeast has been activated,add it to the flour along with ghee,yogurt and mix well to form a dough. Dump it onto your work surface and knead till it stretches without breaking apart,about 2-3 minutes. Dump the dough back into the bowl,brush some water over it,cover the bowl with a clean towel and let it rise in a warm spot until doubled,about 1.5 hours.
Once doubled,punch the dough down and form a log. Tuck the sides in and transfer it to an oiled loaf tin,cover with a clean towel and let it  rise for 45 minutes. Once risen,make a few slits over the top,brush with heavy cream and bake in a preheated oven at 220C / 425 F for 22-25 minutes or till the top is brown and the bread sounds hollow when tapped.
Let it cool in the tin till warm to touch, then take it out of the tin and cool completely. Use as desired.

This is a very good wholewheat bread which you can make with the staples in your pantry. It does taste a bit of ghee and yogurt which gives it a very homemade taste. Usually wholewheat breads can be a bit dense,whereas this is a fluffy,soft bread. When I told Jobin that it was a 100% wholewheat bread, he really couldn't  believe it. Nobody will,unless you tell them.

The bread has a slight golden hue to it from the wheat flour. I used 'Golden Temple' brand of atta/flour for the bread. It has added bran in it so this one was a total winner! I am sure this is going to be a staple in our house from now on. Ian never really bothers if the bread is made with plain flour or wholewheat. So, I will be baking this again to satisfy my 'healthy' cravings :)
 

FOCCACIA CAPRESE

Every time I enroll myself for a challenge of any sort, I end up missing it. I usually don't make any resolutions as the new year rolls in, but this time, at the back of my mind, I did make a resolution to not to give up on something that I have started. It could be anything from exercising to cooking. Sometime half way through last year, I came across a bread baking group on Facebook and wanted to join them to bake a bread every month. Since I was very late to join, I waited patiently till they opened up the group to welcome new members.
For this month, we all had to make a Foccacia. I love a good foccacia sandwich. That bread always called my name whenever we went out to eat. It's soft and very flavourful.

This recipe is a bomb! I did exactly what it called for but I am sure next time I'll skip the toppings and just make the bread with the herb oil. It is so wonderfully fragrant and gives such a subtle yet wonderful flavour for the whole bread, slice after slice.
Breads are a carb heaven and I am so not guilty about eating it. Back home, Amma,myself and Ritchie kuttan would polish off loaves of bread especially when they are hot and right from the oven. Speaking of home, we have booked our tickets for our yearly India trip and as always, I am planning on conducting a few baking classes in Kannur. If you are interested, watch out this space for more details. I am planning on something different this time.

We are leaving for New York on Saturday for a week and I am planning on hitting some bakeries that I always wanted to visit and catch up with friends and cousins. Once we get back, there's so much to plan for February because our anniversary is coming up and there are plenty of other cakes to bake! I really cannot wait  for it to be February! How is your 2014? Mine seems to be busy already and I am not complaining a bit!

FOCCACIA CAPRESE
Original recipe by Kitchen Whisperer
Adapted by Aparna
Makes 2 medium sized Foccacia
Serves 4-6 people

Ingredients:
For the bread:
2 teaspoon instant yeast
1 1/2 tablespoon sugar
3 1/2 cups bread flour (All purpose will also work)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 olive oil (regular also works)
1 - 11/2 cups warm water
A little more olive oil for brushing the dough

For the topping:
4-5 roma tomatoes (depends on the size, I used just one)
1 small ball of fresh mozzarella cheese,cut into 1/4inch slices
1/2 cup fresh basil,cut into thin strips

For the herb oil:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
1/2 teaspoon garlic paste
Salt to taste

Fresh basil for garnishing

Method:
Herb oil : Mix together all the ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
Bread: Mix together all the ingredients though olive oil and then add in the warm water and form a soft elastic dough that is just short of sticky. Take the dough out, oil the bowl with some extra olive oil, put the dough ball back in and coat it by turning the dough a couple of times. Cover and let rise until doubled,about an hour.
Pre heat the oven to 210C / 400F. Once it is risen, take the dough out and divide into two. Place them on a cookie sheet and press it out gently into a rectangle of 1 inch thickness.Let it rise for 20 mins. Slightly oil your fingers and poke into the dough at equal intervals to create a dimpled effect. Brush the top of the bread with the herb oil, generously. Bake for 18-20 mins or until golden brown.
Take the bread out and increase the baking temperature to 230C/ 450F. Brush the bread with some herb oil and top it with cheese and tomatoes. Lightly drizzle the remaining herb oil over it and let it bake until the cheese has just melted. Garnish with basil leaves and serve warm.

I cannot even begin to tell you how delicious this bread is! We loved it so much that I regretted for not making more.I can actually have this for a meal,even though I made some Cream of Mushroom Soup with it.Ian loved this bread,so it was a winner in every aspect!
If only God made Potatoes, Bread & Desserts the most nutritious thing on Earth! :)