Dived the dough in 80g . Roll into a strand of about 70 cm. Divide the strand into 4 parts. Now lay them cross-wise, so that the strands are inwoven(1). Now take the lower strand and lay it over the higher one (2) and repeat this once more in the other direction (3). Now fold the free ends into the middle (4) & (5) and turn the roll (6)
When I’m baking for my colleagues like for our christmas party today, I always try to find special forms for the rolls that fits to the season. This time I got inspired from a recipe from the TV show WDR Servicezeit and bake little Santa Claus Hats. The dough for this rolls is the same like the Spelt Rye Swirls and I let them ferment and bake them like described in the recipe.
The little Hats are easy to make. You have to roll the dough into a ribbon with 1 cm thickness and 12 cm width. Cut the ribbon into triangles with a 7cm width base (1). Now stretch the base and fold it over to form a 1.5 cm width brim (2). Then take the tip and fold it down, too (3). Wet the brim with some water (4) and sprinkle with sesame. To avoid sprinkling all over the hat, use a dough scrapper to shield the rest of the hat(5). For the pompon form a little dough ball with 1 cm diameter, dip on side in sesame and press it on the tip of the hat.
Divide the dough into pieces of 85g each. Roll them into strands of about 45 cm (1). Now form with 2/3 of the strand loop, while the other 1/3 of the strand remains free(2). Pull the free strand through the loop (3), then twist the loop (4) and tuck the free end into the remaining opening of the loop (5).
To shape a triangle bread is not complicated.
You start by forming your dough to a ball and let it rest for 15 – 20 min (1). Now flatten the sides of the ball, forming a higher triangle in the middle (2) with “wings” attached to the triangle. Fold the “wings” into the middle (3 – 5) so that a triangle is formed. Shape the edges of the triangle to sharp points. Then turn the loaf seamside down (6).
Divide the dough into pieces of 80g each. Roll each piece to a ball and rest for 15 min. Press the balls to a disc with thicker rims and a thinner middle. Fold one half of the disk on the other side, forming a halfcircle. Roll with four fingers to a short log.
The light and flaky layers of puff pastry, croissants or Danish pastry is created by enclosing butter layers in the dough, something called laminating. The butter layers seperate the dough layers and trap the steam during baking creating the typical honeycomb structure.
When laminating two different kinds of folding the dough can be distinguished: the single fold and the double fold
For the single fold the dough is folded in thirds like a letter.
For the double fold the dough is folded from both sides into the middle and then fold in half.
When rolling the dough after folding to a square again, I always roll in the direction marked in the photos above, starting in the middle to remove trapped air.
To shape little stars out of dough is very easy. I made some picture for a little “How to..”.
Shape the dough to balls. Now flatten the balls and make a cut in the middle of the dough with a knife or a credit card. Rotate the card 1/3 and cut again, repeat it for a third time, leaving six points in the middle (see picture). Turn the dough inside out, so the points are now outside, forming a star.
If you did not bake a christstollen until now, you should do it now because a good christstollen should be stored for four weeks before eating so that the aromas can melt into each other.
I baked my Christstollen recipe which I developed two years ago. It is still my favourite.
Two years ago I searched still for the best method to form the Stollen. Now I have found a method that worked good for me: Continue reading
When baking bread paying attention to the development of gluten is really important. The gluten network makes the dough elastic and extensible and makes it possible that the dough can trap and retain gas that yeast and bacteria when using sourdough produces during fermentation.
