Confessions of a French Baker Read Online Free PDF Page A

Continue to mix the dough until the cheese is incorporated.
Garlic Bread
Pain a I'Ail
    Tiny cubes of sauteed garlic are mixed right into the dough of these universally appealing loaves. Almost any cheese tastes better accompanied by a few warm slices of this garlic bread. Be sure to use the very freshest garlic available, and dice it—don't crush it. Note: Add only 1 cup of water (90-100°F) to the dry ingredients in Step 1 to make this slightly stiffer dough.
    Additional step: Dice 6 cloves of garlic into 1/8-inch pieces. Toss the tiny cubes in a tablespoon of flour until they are well coated. Scatter them evenly in the mixing bowl after the dough has pulled away from the sides in Step 1. Continue to mix until the garlic is incorporated.

Breads Made with Wine
Walnut and Red Wine Bread
Pain aux Noix et Vin Rouge
    Adding chopped walnuts generously to this special bread ensures that you will get some in every rose-toned slice. It is an ideal companion to cheeses of all kinds and is the perfect accompaniment to a simple green salad dressed with olive oil.
Makes 2 loaves
    1 3/4 cups (8 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
    1 3/4 cups (8 ounces) unbleached bread flour
    1 1/2 teaspoons (1/4 ounce) salt
    5/8 cup (5 ounces) water (90-100°F)
    5/8 cup (5 ounces) red wine
    4 1/2 teaspoons (1/2 ounce) instant yeast
    2 cups (12 ounces) coarsely chopped walnuts
Sift the flour and salt together into the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook. Sprinkle the yeast over the mixture and mix on medium to low speed, gradually adding the water and wine, until the dough comes away from the bowl, between 5 and 10 minutes. Scatter the walnuts evenly over the dough and continue mixing until they are incorporated.
Remove the dough from the mixing bowl and set it on the counter to rest for 10 minutes. Return it to the mixing bowl and place on mixer so the dough hook plunges into the middle of the dough. Mix on medium speed until the dough is soft and pliable, about 15—20 minutes or until the dough passes the “windowpane” windowpane. (See page 45.)
Remove the dough from the mixing bowl onto a counter and gather it up in your hands in a rough ball. Bring the full length of your thumbs into the center of the ball so that they meet, andstretch the dough from the center out, as if opening a book, into an oblong shape. Turn the dough a quarter turn and stretch the dough again the same way, creating a smooth ball. Transfer the dough to a large mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel, and set aside in a draft-free place at room temperature until the dough doubles in size, in about 45 minutes.
Gently remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a clean surface. Cut the dough into 2 pieces (about 1 pound each) and shape it into 2 smooth balls again, as you did before the first rise. Find a surface in your kitchen free from drafts and lay a kitchen towel dusted with flour on it. Place the balls on the towel and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel to prevent a crust from forming on the surface. Leave the loaves to proof at room temperature until they double in size, in about 20—25 minutes.
Shape the loaves by first patting down the balls to allow the carbonic gasses that have developed to disperse. To make
boules
, gather up the dough in a rough ball and shape it as in Step 3. To make
batards
, pat down the dough and shape itinto a rough 4-by-10-inch rectangle. With a long side facing you, fold the bottom third of the dough to the center and press to seal it. Fold the top over it and seal along the edge.
Place the loaves, seam side down, on the kitchen towel dusted with flour and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Let the loaves rise at room temperature for the final time until they have doubled in size, about 35—45 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450°F. Carefully place the loaves on a baking sheet. Brush them with water using a pastry brush. With a sharp razor blade, make a lozenge-shaped cut on the