So, how could a regular homebaker get bubbles in his/her bread? Very easily – all one needs is a wet dough and a gentle touch. This recipe of bread with bubbles bases on the focaccia recipe, but actually now seems quite different than the original version.. Well, the main thing is that both the recipes make delicious bread! For making some bread with bubbles, make sure you have about 3 hours of spare time.
Dough, makes one bread with bubbles
500g /8 dl All-purpose white flour
420-430g /4,5dl Water (the warmer liquid the looser dough, so use cool water in order to make baking easier)
15g / 1/3 of a package Fresh yeast
11g /2,5 ts Salt
30g /3 tbs Oil (been using olive oil, but brother prooved that even regular canola oil works) + some more for later
Spices for topping, I usually use finger salt and rosemary, but anything is possible!
1. Begin by measuring flour into a bowl. Measure water and yeast into another bowl. Dissolve the yeast.
2. Pour the liquid through your fingers into the flour – this way you’ll catch the possible undissolved bits of yeast.
3. Then combine everything well together until there are no dry parts. Squeeze the dough trough your fingers to make sure there are no flour-lumps. If you want to save your hands from the trouble, using a kneading hook is possible as well.
4. Once you find no more dry bits, scrape down the edges of the bowl. Then let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
5. Pour the salt on the top of the dough. Then do your first knead (I’ve got a dictionary page for this!), 25 kneads ought to be good. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
5. Second knead and another 10 minutes of rest.
6. Finally do your third knead and let the dough rest for about 30 minutes. I suggest, you cover the dough with a kitchen towel.
7. Next, fold the dough (again, see the dictionary page ) on an oiled baking paper or tray. At this point you should start seeing some bubbles. Always when folding or stretching the dough work with oiled hands. Let the dough rest about 15-30 minutes.
8. Second fold and another 15-30 minutes of rest. Also, turn your oven on to 200 °C. Place an oven tray to warm up there, too.
9. Place a baking paper on top of another tray or cutting board, somewhere where it’s easy to slide off from. Then lift the dough up on the baking paper. Let the bottom edge hit the middle of the paper. Then let the dough fall a bit towards you and finally fold the upper edge over the rest, so that it reminds “a ball”. Let it rest for 10 minutes.
13. Then gently stretch the dough by placing your fingers underneath it. Keep your fingers straight and do not grab the dough – this is important, so that you don’t damage the bubbles we’ve worked so hard for. Do not stretch the dough too much at once and let the dough have a few minutes of rest every now and then. Keep working, ’till the dough is even and about 2-5 cm thick.
15. Stretch the dough a little bit more and dimple it with your fingers. Dimpling is not necessary, if you are not planning to place anything into the holes. Then put your favourite spices on top and the bread is ready for oven. I suggest you pour some oil on the top as well.
15. Pull the baking paper with the bread on top of the preheated oven tray. Bake the bread in 200°C on the lower part of the oven for about 30 minutes, ’till it’s lovely golden brown.
16. Let the bread cool down a bit, cut open and discover, oh so lovely, bubbles! Enjoy as fast as you can – this bread doesn’t get better as the days pass by…
And now you know how to make this:
And since you got the hang of the dough, it’s possible for you to create bubbles in any sorts of bread you make, huh? Send me some pics, if it turns out awesome!
Marika~
Bread with bubbles 