What exactly are Mendiants?
Mendiants have quirky roots in France from the Middle Ages. They were part of the Provençal tradition with toppings denoting the original robes of the four Mendicant order of friars. Today they are a well-loved tradition in many a French household and if you try making these they could be a firm favourite in yours. Mendiants are commonly eaten over the Christmas ... Read more
With its caramel coloured crumb and an open bubbly texture, this malted focaccia is relatively easy to make by hand but super-easy with a machine. Here I mixed this in the Ankarsrum Assistent with the dough hook attachment and scraper, but you can mix it by hand in a Swedish stainless steel mixing bowl. The flour used, Mulino Marino's excellent Organic Type "0" Manitoba Flour gives an extra-crisp ... Read more
Hot-Cross Bun recipe by artisan baker Aiden Chapman
For Easter, baker Aidan Chapman of the Phoenix Bakery in Weymouth likes to do things properly and his annual two-week stint making 1000s of hot-cross buns is no exception. Here is his recipe for exceptional buns, perfect to make at home, that don't take too long to make.
Makes about 12 buns
Method
For the dough
In a large bowl, add all the ... Read more
I really like the contrast made between the jet black ciabatta burger buns topped with contrasting sesame seeds, and the deep yellow crispy-coated halloumi, topped with a spicy sauce - they are fun to make and are a tasty treat for a Halloween night.
The buns are soft and airy - softer still with the addition of the carbon powder - and sprinkled with sesame seeds for a little contrast and ... Read more
Sekowa Special Baking Ferment
We have got a great Sekowa (pronounced “Sek-o-va”) introduction and recipe on our Sekowa produce page.
But I wanted to extend on this for beginner’s top tips. I am very new to bread making, so I am yet to learn how your dough should look to be successful. It’s taking a bit of trial and error to get the perfect loaf. But here are a few ... Read more
Seeded Country-Style Tin Bread Recipe is a simple but delicious sandwich loaf full of seeds together with the flavour of stoneground flour. Very quick to make, and often this can cause the crumb to be drier, but here the seeds hold in some moisture – especially the linseed – and this creates a crumb that stays soft for days. Toasts very well, and perfect for a hearty sandwich.
Makes ... Read more
A dark rich fruit cake with a tang of sourdough that slices well, our Chestnut, Sourdough and Rum Christmas cake keeps for a few months perfectly if wrapped well and stored in a tin. The crème fraiche is boiled with the sugar and baked into the cake, so like butter it will add richness and keep perfectly well. The excellent Mulino Marino Organic Chestnut Flour adds a subtle earthy background to ... Read more
BakeryBits is known the world over for making it easy to buy and enjoy excellent and unusual stoneground flours, heritage grains, as well as the finest roller-milled flours used by the best artisan bakers. So, we thought that this year our mince pies should continue that celebration and combine stoneground flour – from one of our many great millers we stock, or out of your own Mockmill – with ... Read more
When you move away from roller-milled flours from imported grain and start using stone milled flours, especially using grains grown in a variable and wetter climate with a mixture of wheat varieties, you’ll notice characteristics that both improve the flavour and colour but also give a different consistency to the dough that might puzzle you at first. This is my go-to method for handling these ... Read more
I’m always looking for ways to create Easter bakes that are big on flavour and a joy to eat but are a little healthier at the same time. Hot Cross Buns traditionally have added sugar but as dried fruit are intensely sweet, so you don’t need any extra. The dates in particular give a warm rich sugar hit. I’ve lived in various African countries and finding butter was often an issue. ... Read more
