Middle Eastern Semolina And Saffron Bread Food

MOROCCAN SEMOLINA BREAD - KHOBZ DYAL SMIDA

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Prepare two baking sheets either by oiling the centers or by dusting the pans with coarse semolina.
• In a large bowl combine the fine semolina or durum flour, all-purpose flour, salt, and sugar in a bowl. Make a large well in the center of the flour mixture, and add the yeast.
• Add the oil and 1 1/2 cups warm water to the well, mixing to dissolve the yeast first, and then stirring the entire contents of the bowl to incorporate the water into the flour.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and begin kneading the dough. If necessary, add flour or water in very small amounts to make the dough soft and pliable, but not sticky. Continue kneading for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the dough is very smooth and elastic.
• Divide the dough in half and shape each portion into a smooth circular mound. Roll the mounds in some coarse or fine semolina, pressing the grains gently into the surface of the dough.
• Place the dough on the prepared pans and cover with a towel. Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes.
• After the dough has rested, use the palm of your hand to flatten the dough into large, flat rounds about 1/4" thick.
• Cover the loaves with a towel, and leave to rise about one hour or longer, until the dough springs back when pressed lightly with a finger.
• Pre heat an oven to 435 F/225 C. Poke the dough with a fork in several places to create steam vents. Bake the bread for about 20 minutes - rotate the pans about halfway through the baking time - or until the loaves are nicely colored and sound hollow when tapped.
• Transfer the bread to a rack or towel-lined basket to cool. Moroccan bread will keep only a day at room temperature, so plan to freeze leftovers. Thaw at room temperature, then reheat in the oven for just-baked freshness.

SAFFRON BREAD

Steps:

• Steep the saffron in the hot water overnight. Make sure you use a container that is covered to keep the heat inside. This step is crucial to getting the taste and flavor you want in the bread.
• The next morning, Sift the flour into a very large bowl add the sugar then cut in the butter and crisco using a pastry cutter.
• Add the currants, raisins, orange peel, lemon rind, nutmeg, salt and saffron water.
• Mix together, then sprinkle the yeast on the top of the mixture and add the lukewarm water.
• Knead the bread mixture until everything is combined. The bread should be a light orange/dark yellow in color.
• Then place the bread in a warm location, covered. And allow to rise until doubled in size.
• Once doubled, knead the bread again, and allow to rise until doubled one more time.
• Cut the dough into 6 loaves.
• Knead each dough ball and then place the loaves into greased loaf pans.
• Cover the pans and allow to rise until about level with the top of the pans.
• Bake the loaves at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

MIDDLE EASTERN SEMOLINA AND SAFFRON BREAD

Steps:

• Crush the saffron and mix it in 1 teaspoon of boiling water, set aside.
• In a large bowl whisk together the 1/2 cup warm water, the yeast, and sugar. Let stand about 5 minutes or until frothy.
• Stir in the 1 cup water and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil saffron mix. Add 2 cups of the bread flour, the 1-2/3 cups semolina flour, the turmeric, caraway seed and salt. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining bread flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (6 to 8 minutes total). Shape dough into a ball. Grease a large bowl with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Place dough in greased bowl; turn once to grease surface of dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in size (about 1 hour).
• Punch dough down. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; sprinkle parchment with the 1 tablespoon semolina flour. Set aside. Shape each dough half into a 6-inch round loaf. Place dough rounds on the prepared baking sheet. Cover and let rise in a warm place until nearly double in size (about 30 minutes).
• Adjust one oven rack to the lowest position and another oven rack to the lower-middle position. Set a shallow baking pan on the bottom rack. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Using a sharp knife, cut an X into the top of each loaf. Place baking sheet with dough rounds on the middle rack. Place the ice cubes in the shallow baking pan on the lower (as they melt, they'll create steam, which helps the dough rise and develop a crisp crust). Bake rounds about 25 minutes or until deep golden and rounds sound hollow when tapped. If necessary to prevent overbrowning, cover rounds with foil for the last 10 minutes of baking.
• Transfer to a wire rack; cool completely.

SAFFRON BREAD (ABM)

Steps:

• Place the egg in warm water for 5 to 10 minutes in order to safely reach room temperature.
• Using a mortar and pestle grind the saffron threads into fine powder.
• Place the ingredients into the bread machine in order given.
• Turn bread machine to white bread cycle and press start.
• When bread is done, remove from machine and place on wire rack to cool.

SWEDISH SAFFRON BREAD

Steps:

• Set the oven at 250°F.
• Put the saffron in a cup and put it in the oven.
• After 5 minutes, pour 1/4 cup of very hot water over it.
• Let it steep for 20 minutes while you get on with the rest of the preparation.
• Put the raisins in a bowl and cover with hot water.
• Set aside.
• Mix the yeast with the milk and 1 teaspoon of the sugar and leave for 10 to 15 minutes in a warm but not hot spot.
• Combine the flour, remaining sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
• Mix in the yeast mixture and then the butter.
• When everything is thoroughly combined, add the saffron mixture.
• Drain the raisins and add them.
• Mix and knead thoroughly until the dough is soft but not sticky.
• Roll it into a ball and put it in a greased bowl.
• Cover with a plastic bag and let it rise in a draft-free spot until it has doubled in bulk. This takes about 2 hours.
• Knock the dough down by thumping it firmly several times.
• Knead it for 2 or 3 minutes.
• To make a wreath shape, divide the dough into 3 pieces and roll each into a rope about 18 inches long.
• Braid the 3 ropes together and twist into a circle. (Or make hollows in the wreath so that you can stick candles in them after baking.).
• Tuck the ends underneath.
• Place on a greased baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap.
• Let rise in a draft-free spot for about an hour or until doubled in bulk.
• During the last 10 minutes of rising time, set the oven at 400°F
• Brush the bread with the egg wash.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the wreath is golden brown and sounds hollow when rapped on the bottom.

POTATO AND SAFFRON BREAD

Steps:

• Cook potato. Drain, saving 7 oz. of the cooking water. Mash the potato without any additions and set aside to cool.
• Put the saffron threads into the reserved hot potato water and let them steep for at least 30 minutes. If you have time, 3-4 hours is better.
• Place all ingredients in bread machine in order recommended by manufacturer. Set on dough cycle.
• After cycle concludes, remove and shape into a round loaf or desired shape. Cover with oiled plastic wrap and let rise 30-45 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 deg. F.
• Slash loaf down and across, in a tic-tac-toe pattern. Bake for 35- 40 minutes.
• Note: I used only a 1/2 tsp of saffron threads, and that was sufficient to create a beautiful loaf. I'm sure more would have been wonderful.