ISO: ISO: Has anyone ever heard of a French bread recipe where you mix the dough and leave a wooden

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dawn_mo

Well-known member
spoon in the dough while it rises. My stepdaughter was telling me about his recipe. She said it is very easy, flour, water, yeast and salt, you mix it in a bowl with a wooden spoon, leave the spoon in the dough while it rises, then about a couple hours later, shape it on a baking sheet and bake. She said it comes out like a loaf of French bread, and is really good. Does anyone have a recipe like this? Thanks!

 
Preferably Bombay Gin and anchovy olives, pass the vermouth bottle in front of it. (smile)

My stepdaughter called and got the recipe from her MIL. She is making it today. I will get the recipe, make it, and post it. I am very curious about this also.

 
sheesh! don't we all. i'm currently having success washing my expectorant down with bushmills.

 
I don't think it is, because as my step-daughter remembered it...

there are two packets of yeast in it and it is ready to bake within a couple hours. I should have the recipe by tomorrow and will post it.

 
Here's the recipe REC: Wooden Spoon Bread (for lack of a better name)

Okay, this is the basic recipe as dictated to Holly from her ex-MIL. When asking questions about the directions, she was told, "you know". Valerie like many of us, cooks from feel and memory. My stepdaughter tried to make this last night, but it didn't rise very well. She thinks she may have added the yeast mixture with the hot water, perhaps killing it, or at least maiming it a bit. The flour amount is not exact as bakers well know. I may try this today, but I am not a very good baker, so the odds of it turning out are not very good. If anyone else tries this, please let me know how it is, and what you did.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Wooden Spoon Bread

Recipe By :Valerie/Holly
Serving Size : 2 loaves Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Bread

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

1/2 cup warm water
2 pkgs yeast
3 T sugar
1 T salt
1/3 c shortening
2 c hot water
6 cups flour

dissolve yeast in warm water, and proof it.
mix hot water, shortening, sugar, salt and 3 cups flour, then add yeast mixture. put wooden spoon and let sit for 10 minutes (no metal anything).
then add about 3 cups remaining flour. roll into two loaves, set on a cookie sheet, cover with a clean towel, let rise for 30 minutes, then bake for 30 minutes at 350.
dnote: this is the recipe verbatim.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 
I just have to wonder if leaving the spoon in isn't just a reminder not to

use metal (and why is that? to avoid chemical reaction or heat dissipation?)

It can't add anything to the recipe.

 
Still no explanation for the spoon though. In Erin's suggestion, it seems to be about saving dishes/

steps/work or something.

Is this still a mystery? Une mystere?

 
The only "save" I can see this recipe trying to achieve is the proofing time

The ingredients are pretty straightforward but the hot water addition is the puzzler for me. You proof the yeast in the usual way, then later add HOT water instead of warm water. I should think, unless you are using bread machine yeast (the fast proofing, durable yeast) that the hot water would indeed damage or kill the yeast even if it is added to room temperature flour and other ingredients. I suppose the hot water is supposed to shorten the bread rising time by starting it to rise at a higher temp. I can't think of one reasonable explaination for leaving a wooden spoon in the dough. Odd- I hope somebody figures it out so we will all learn why.

 
Maybe the spoon gives the yeasties some more food to grow on smileys/wink.gif

Lord knows my wooden spoons do not get sterilized between uses.

 
There was some discussion in Erin's link about the mess on the countertop and dishes & so on. This

Seemed to be a response to it.

I sure don't know. How muddling. I"m no big bread maker but still interested.

 
No save neccessary...

My stepdaughter brought me a loaf of her second try, and it was great. I would not describe it as a French bread, it is more dense, but as a bread to serve with soup, it was excellent. You can start this dough by hand a couple hours before dinner, and it will be ready by dinnertime. I would add more salt, if that doesn't have an adverse affect on the whole rising thing. I am going to try making this bread this weekend and will let you know how I do.

 
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