SATURDAY WORKSHOP WITH IAN DOWDING


BREADS AND BAKING

SODA BREAD / FOCCACIA BREAD / EASY CHOCOLATE GATEAU / APPLE TOFFEE TART / PEANUT COOKIES / PLUM AND ALMOND TART

SODA BREAD

8 oz / 225g plain flour (white, wholemeal or granary)
¼ pt / 150 ml buttermilk
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 level tsp salt

Preheat oven to gas mark 6 / 200 C.
Place the flour, salt and soda into a bowl and add the buttermilk. Mix to a smooth dough. Shape into a round loaf, place on a greased baking sheet and cut a cross in the top. Cover with a large cake tin and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and bake for a further 10 minutes to colour the crust.

FOCCACIA BREAD

18 oz / 500g white bread flour
½ pt / 300 ml warm water
1 oz / 25 g fresh yeast
2 level tsp salt
Pinch of sugar
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves of garlic
Ground black pepper
Extra olive oil

Pre heat the oven to gas mark 6 / 200 C. Warm the flour and add the salt to it. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and add the pinch of sugar. Wait for the mixture to fizz. Chop the garlic and the rosemary. Make a well in the centre of the flour and put in the oil. Add the yeast mix to the flour and mix to a dough. Put it in a warm place to prove. When it has doubled in bulk, knead until smooth and elastic. Flatten out and scatter over the garlic, rosemary and black pepper. Knead to distribute the garlic etc. Flatten out to roughly the size and shape of your baking tray. Drizzle with some more olive oil, sprinkle with course sea salt and put in a warm place to prove. After the dough has risen make dimples in the surface with your fingertips and put to prove again. When it has doubled in bulk, place in the oven and cook for 25 – 35 minutes.
PLUM AND ALMOND TART

Serves 8 / Equipment: 10 inch x 1½ inch deep loose bottomed metal flan tin. Oven temp: 180 C / gas mark 4

Sweet pastry:

250g / 9 oz plain flour
150g / 5 oz butter
25g / 1 oz icing sugar
1 egg

10 ripe plums (Victoria or Marjorie)
Caster sugar

Almond cream:

110g / 4 oz butter
110g / 4 oz ground almonds
110g / 4 oz icing sugar
25g / 1 oz plain flour
2 eggs

Halve and de stone the plums, sprinkle with a little caster sugar and cook in the oven until they are just soft. Set aside to cool. To make the pastry, mix the icing sugar into the flour and rub in the butter until it is like fine bread crumbs. Work in the egg to a smooth dough. Allow it to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes then roll it out and line the flan tin. To make the almond cream, beat the butter till it is very soft, then work into it the icing sugar, ground almonds and flour a little at a time. Finally beat in the eggs and continue beating until you have a soft, smooth cream.

Make a layer of the plums over the bottom of the pastry case and spread over the almond cream. Bake for 40 - 45 minutes until golden and the filling is firm. Serve warm.















SUN DRIED TOMATO BREAD

18 oz / 500g strong white bread flour
2 level tsp salt
A pinch of sugar
½ pt / 300 ml warm water
2 tbsp chopped sun dried tomatoes
2 tsp sun dried tomato paste
2 tbsp oil (olive or the oil from the sun dried tomatoes)
1 oz / 25g fresh yeast

Preheat the oven to gas mark 6 / 200 C
Dissolve the yeast in the water and add the sugar. Warm the flour and put into it the salt, tomatoes, paste and oil. When the yeast mix is fizzing add it to the flour and mix to a dough. Cover and leave in a warm place until it has doubled in bulk. Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic and shape into long loaves. Place onto greased baking sheets with enough room for them to expand. Slash the tops at intervals with a knife and brush with egg wash. Prove in a warm place until the loaves have doubled in size then bake until cooked and crusty – about 20 – 30 minutes. Eat warm dipped in the best olive oil you can afford.

PIZZA

9 oz / 250 g plain white bread flour
1 level tsp salt
A pinch of sugar
4 fl oz / 125 ml warm water
2 tbsp olive oil
½ oz / 12 g fresh yeast

A small jar of sun dried tomato paste
6 oz / 125 g mozzarella cheese
A small bunch of fresh basil
4 oz / 110g pepperoni sausage
16 stoned black olives

Pre heat the oven to gas mark 6 / 200 C.
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water with the sugar. Add the salt to the flour and warm it. When the yeast mixture is fizzing, add it to the flour and mix to a dough. Cover with a cloth and put in a warm place to prove. When it has doubled in size knead the dough again. Cut the dough into two pieces and roll them out into circles. Place them on to greased baking sheets.

Slice the mozzarella cheese and the pepperoni and halve the olives. Spread the sun dried tomato paste across the pizza bases. Tear the basil leaves and sprinkle these over, then a layer of cheese slices. Decorate with the pepperoni slices and the black olives. Place the pizzas in a warm place to allow the dough to rise then place them in a hot oven. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes until cooked. Serve immediately.

PANE AL CIOCCOLATO

12 oz / 350g plain white flour
2 oz / 50g cocoa powder
1 level tsp salt
2 oz / 50g caster sugar
2 oz / 50g butter
1 egg
4 fl oz / 100 ml warm milk
2 oz / 50g dark chocolate (grated)
½ oz / 12g fresh yeast

Pre heat the oven to gas mark 6 / 200 C.
Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk with a pinch of the sugar. Put the flour, cocoa powder and the rest of the sugar into a bowl. Melt the butter without getting it too hot. Make a well in the centre of the flour and place in this the butter and the egg. Start mixing and slowly add the yeast mixture also. Work to a smooth dough and then put in a warm place to prove.

When it has doubled in size, flatten out the dough on your work surface and sprinkle over the grated chocolate. Knead the dough again to incorporate it. Prepare a loaf tin by greasing it with butter, shape the dough into a loaf and place in the tin. Allow it to prove until doubled in bulk, and then bake for 25 – 35 minutes. Brush the top with melted butter when it comes out of the oven to glaze it. Cool on a wire rack. Serve in slices spread with mascarpone cheese.


CHELSEA BUNS

9 oz / 250g plain white flour
¾ oz / 20g fresh yeast
½ tsp sugar
½ tsp salt
4fl oz / 100 ml warm milk
½ oz / 15g butter
1 egg
3 oz / 75g mixed dried fruit with peel
2 oz / 50g soft brown sugar

Melted butter and honey

Pre heat the oven to gas mark 6 / 200 C
Put the flour in a bowl with the salt and warm it. Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk with the ½ tsp of sugar. Melt the butter without getting it too hot. Make a well in the centre of the flour and put in the egg and butter. Start adding the yeast mixture and work to a smooth dough. Cover with a cloth and place in a warm place to prove. When it has risen, knock the dough back and knead it. Roll out the dough into a rectangle. Brush the surface with melted butter, then scatter over the dried fruit and brown sugar. Roll it up into a cylinder and then cut it into 2 inch slices. Lay the slices well spaced into a shallow greased tin. Put the buns in a warm place until well risen and then bake for 20-30 minutes until golden brown. Whilst still warm brush with the warmed honey.