Anadama Bread

For this month's Home Baker's Challenge, host Manjula of Desi Fiesta gave the members 4 recipes to try out. Among the recipes the Anadama bread was the one which was in my to do list. So I picked it up. Anandama bread is a traditional yeast bread of New England ( Thank you Mahi for the info). It is made with corn meal, molasses and flour.



I followed a recipe from a bread book I have and the bread turned delicious. Only thing is it didn't have a dome on top. But still the crust was nice and crispy while the crumb's texture was awesome. I made an eggless french toast with the slices and it turned out wonderful. I also made Shahi Tukda with this and it was also yummy. Linking this to Yeastspotting.





Ingredients:

Soaker:
Corn Meal-1 cup
Water-1 cup

For The Dough:
All Purpose Flour-4 1/2 cups
Salt-1 1/2 tsp
Instant Yeast-2 tsp
Vanaspathi/ Shortening-2 tbs
Warm Water- 1 cup
Molasses-6 tbs (Can substitute this with honey or light brown sugar syrup)

Procedure:
1. Mix corn meal and water and let it sit for 8 hours or overnight.
2. The next day, in a bowl add 2 cups of flour, salt, instant yeast and the soaked corn meal along with warm water.
3. Mix to bring all the ingredients together..
4. Cover with cling wrap and allow it to proove for 1 hour.
5. When it is bubbly add the remaining 2 1/2 cups of flour, molasses and shortening and mix to for a sticky dough.
6. Transfer it to counter, dust with flour and knead for 10 minutes.
7. When smooth and elastic, transfer to an oiled bowl. Rotate to coat the dough with oil.
8. Cover and let it rise for 1- 1 1/2 hours.
9. Transfer dough to the counter, gently knead and divide it into 3 equal portions.
10. Shape each portion into a roll and place seam side down in a greased 8 1/2" * 4 1/2" loaf pan.
11. Loosely cover with cling wrap and set it aside for 1- 1 1/2 hours.
12. Preheat oven to 175C.
13. Remove the plastic wrap, spray with water and top with sesame seeds.
14. Place the tins in the middle shelf and bake for 15 minutes.
15. Rotate the pans and bake for a further 10-20 minutes until the loaves are brown in colour.
16. Remove from oven, remove from tins and let it cool for 1 hour before slicing.

Note: As Molasses is not available here, I made a syrup with light brown sugar and used it in the recipe.
Mix one cup of light brown sugar and 1/4 cup of water and bring to boil. Keep on stirring the syrup until it becomes thick as honey. Remove from flame and cool. Use it in the recipe.




Mix corn meal and water.




This is the soaker after 8 hours of soaking.




Mix 2 cups flour, salt and yeast.




Add water and soaker.




Mix it.




Let it sit for 1 hour.




This is the syrup I used instead of molasses.




Add it to the starter.




Add the remaining flour and vanaspathi and mix until everything holds together.





Take the dough to counter and knead.





After 10 minutes, place it in an oiled bowl and cover with cling wrap.




Keep it aside for 1 hour.




Divide it into three equal portions.




Roll a portion into a rectangle.




Roll it and pinch edges.




Place it seam side down in a loaf pan.




When double the size, remove cling wrap, top with sesame seeds and bake.




Bake until brown.




Slice it up and serve...

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