Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Le Pain Rustic

Ever since I arrived back in Melbourne, I have been craving for some good ol' rustic french bread just like the ones I buy in Paris every second day from Boulangerie Julien or Eric Kayser down in the 5eme arr. opposite the entrance of Rue Cardinal Lemoine, on Blvd. Saint Germain. Chewy, densey, filled with mix nuts, cranberries and apricots, they sometimes they call it le mixte, le fruits or just a small dollop of goodness for me. I love it as an after-lunch snack, healthy yet still sweet and quite filling with a cup of black coffee. So rather than doing an hour trip to Phillipa's on High Street everyday to get a good brown bread, I thought I should give a hand at making my own bread at home, another plus when you have lots of free time in the afternoon (cough*). So this week, I'm up to my third batch, and getting seriously addicted to it!

Can't wait to have my homemade bread in the morning! So this batch is filled with lots of cranberries, almonds, pumpkin seeds and a few other nameless nuts and sweet raisins. I used self-raising wholemeal flour and a few tablespoons of honey.

My favorite part is always when I'm shifting the wholemeal flour with tiny amounts of water and milk combined, and seeing the whole transformation of paste becoming a small dough in my sticky hands. I can't get enough it! It's quite therapeutic, especially when Desperate Housewives is on!

Stuffed with mixed nuts and cranberries. Really yum with yogurt, or toasted with a smear of honey or jam. A sweet tartine for breakfast.

A similar recipe I found which includes more of the necessary ingredients like yeast and salt can be followed as below (makes one big loaf)

3 1/2 cups of self raising wholemeal flour
1 cups of water
1/2 cup of milk
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/8 teaspoon instant yeast
2 tablespoons of honey
1 cup of trail mix with lots of cranberries

Mixed the flour with little bits of water and milk, knead and add all the ingredients gradually. Once it becomes a dough, leave at room temperature for 1 hour for it to rise (cover with a damp cloth) Add the trail mix at the end, make into a round shape and slice two thin lines at the top. Bake at 200 degrees for about 40-45 minutes. Make sure the insides are baked evenly before you take it out.


2 comments:

lady jicky said...

Ooooh you just made me remember the sandwich from Kayser called a "rustic" - it was the best bread and the chicken and this dressing they put on ---- Mmmmm, only in Paris.
Hey, that bread of yours looks fantastic!!
Have you done the macaroon school yet?? They do chocolate there too.

Lady Macaron said...

yes im starting the macaroon class on friday, most of the breads in kayser is good yeah, but ohhh but never ever order coffee there, i remember they heat it in the microwave!!it was painful watching it...