Have you ever noticed that foods that are less than perfect looking are called "ugly," only it can't be spelled correctly because of the negative connotations? "Ugli Fruit," of course, has been around for years, but I think it's more often referred to as "Uniq (again, with the spelling!) Fruit" these days. Today I saw an ad for "Ugli Heirloom Tomatoes." And today I baked "Ugli Bread."
Now, tell me something: does the humidity ever drop below 114% in this city?!? You may or may not have read this entry a few weeks ago, when my bread collapsed in the oven. It was a humid day, so the dough came out too wet, which makes it too soft, which makes it unable to hold its shape in the oven. But today I outdid myself. In slight defense of the weather, I wasn't paying quite as much attention to the bread as maybe I should have been. I took a shower while the machine mixed and kneaded the dough, I was on the phone with my mom (hi Mom!) during its second rise (therefore letting it rise just a tad bit too long), and I was on the phone with Kev while it baked. But still, it's damn humid here, even when it's not unbearably hot!
Quite something, isn't it? =) But wait -- here's a cross-section:
(I hate fluorescent lighting -- where'd all my beautiful color go?!?)
And now, the recipe:
"Ugli Bread"
aka Honey Whole Wheat Bread
from Sandra L. Woodruff's Smart Bread Machine Recipes
makes 1 1-1/2 lb loaf
3 cups whole-wheat flour
1-1/2 tbsp vital wheat gluten
1-1/8 tsp dry active yeast
3/4 tsp sea salt
3 tbsp honey
1-1/2 tbsp vegetable oil or lecithin granules
1-1/4 cup water
Load ingredients into bread machine pan according to manufacturer's instructions. Mix and bake in machine set to your favorite crust setting, or use dough cycle and bake bread in a 350 oven for 35 - 45 minutes.
Despite its ugli-ness, this bread has a beautiful crumb, a soft, chewy texture, and that great buttery flavor that only 100% whole-wheat flour (or butter, I suppose!) can provide. But it is, hands down, the ugli-est loaf of bread I've ever baked!
And now, there's a stack of books calling me from my coffee table. I love living two blocks away from the library!!!
Posted at 7/13/2005 8:30:07 pm by
KelliMelli
