The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Onion Bay Leaf Loaf

Floydm's picture
Floydm

Onion Bay Leaf Loaf

I made a couple loaves of French bread and also tried Dan Lepard's Onion Bay Leaf Bread. 

Subtle but quite good

Comments

ehanner's picture
ehanner

Sounds interesting Floyd. Is there a recipe?

Eric

Floydm's picture
Floydm

There is in The Art of Handmade Bread (AKA The Handmade Loaf).  I don't have the time to type it up tonight, but the gist is to chop up an onion and bring it to a boil in a cup of milk along with three bay leaves.   Let it cool down for half an hour, then toss out the bay leaves and strain out the onion.  Mix both the milk and the onions into a dough that is leavened both with levain and a bit of yeast, and Dan suggests making around 20% of the flour whole wheat.  Standard procedure from there on out.

It is nice, and interesting food for thought.  The only other dough I can recall mulling spices in like that was a saffron bread, but it seems like there are all kinds of possibilities there, both sweet and savory.

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

Boiling the milk!  Do you think it's like killing 2 birds with one stone?  I didn't realize the effects on the 'flora' I quess so to speak..until I started making yogurt...if the milks not boiled or brought to boiling point '  just to where bublles appeared and cooled..it was not a success....and the flavor, firmness was so much easier to adjust ...so if using milk in bread dough I always have boiled and cooled it first before using...especially my sourdoughs if not using canned milk.

Sylvia

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

The Boule reminds me of winter! Looks like a snowflake in the center!  Sounds good...onion and bay leaf!  Lovely looking breads!

Sylvia

ehanner's picture
ehanner

Floyd,

Well that IS different, boiled milk and raw onion. I can't say I have ever considered boiled milk with anything. Handmade loaf has been on my short list for a while. I'll have to take a look. Nice looking bread, all three.

Eric

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

Spelling isn't really that important here!  We know what he means!  I always spell deliscious...but people know I mean delicious!  : )

Sylvia

Dhaus's picture
Dhaus

As a person who makes and uses a lot of home made stocks in my food and loves bay leaf in my stock, that recipe is a wonderful idea for a bread.

Your loaves look very good!

Darren