Baking Bread for a Wedding
A friend asked if I would make some loaves of bread for her wedding (there are others also being asked so I will not be baking it all).
The wedding is out of town and so I will need to bake the bread at least ONE to TWO days ahead of the wedding. I am going to try to bake it Friday morning as we need to leave Friday afternoon and the wedding is early Sat afternoon.
I do enjoy baking bread and feel like I do a good job at it - so I am happy to bake bread for her. But I also do not like bringing bread that is sub-par due to it being stale - I believe bread is always best eaten the same day or the next.
I am looking for a good recipe that would still seem fresh Saturday afternoon if I baked it Friday morning. From what I have read having a higher fat content is the way to go - right?
I will probably only be baking about 4 loaves due to the time restraint - though if there is some way I could bake the bread on Thursday I could make more.
Any thoughts? The type of bread I bake is totally up to me - it won't be for sandwiches - just a table with a variety of breads on it.
Thanks!
I'd highly suggest baking some Miche as they are actually better on day 2 or 3 and far from stale. Once cooled you could wrap them in linen until needed. Another option would be a tinned Rye of sorts but that may not fit the bill as well as a good Miche.
The miche in Hamelman's "Bread" is fantastic as is David's SFBI miche that is here at TFL.
Good Luck
Josh
breads are better the 2nd day most always and the perfect choice.
I would second what both Josh and dabrownman say. Large loaves of sourdough sound like the best bet to me. Maybe something with a pretty high hydration, too.
Rye breads made with all rye are best after sitting for about 3 days, but their distinctive flavor may not pair well with most of the other foods, while a basic sourdough loaf pairs well with most things. So, if you know what else is being made, that might be an option as part of the bread; you could make a little of that one day and other loaves the next.
Is it an accompaniment to dinner? Brioche rolls or sweet potatoe rolls sound wonderful. Better yet-buttermilk cluster rolls. Just use the search box for that recipe here.
http://www.thefreshloaf.com//recipes/buttermilkcluster
Is it for sandwich making? An enriched,buttery brioche or buttermilk sandwich bread sounds good.Or how about Japanese Milk Bread!
http://www.thefreshloaf.com//node/32997/hokkaido-milk-bread-tangzhong
Is it to accompany cheese? A grainy,moist rye would be ideal. It tastes best on the 2nd-4th day.
Just a few ideas. I would definitely choose an enriched rather than lean bread for this occasion.
Thank you for the advice!