Bread Enhancer?

Enhancer for bread? I was surprised when I found the concoction's recipe at the back of my favorite mystery writer's recent culinary who-dun-it. Not that recipes are any more unusual than dead bodies in Diane Mott Davidson's entertaining books, but I'd never encountered a "bread enhancer" before. Of course I had to try it, but I felt like caterer-crime-fighter Goldie Schultz herself as I chased down the elusive gluten, protein powder and lecithin required for the stuff.

But the affect on the bread was remarkable and well worth the effort if that's the sort of bread you like. I've named one version "Knuckle Bread," because it is a flat bread somewhat like a fluffy pita with lots of depressions left by the cook's knuckles as the individual loaves are shaped into circles. Another batch was folded over a fruit filling like a turnover for breakfast. Halfway through baking, those half-moons rolled over and stood up at attention! The enhanced dough had risen and blossomed like cactus flowers. Pretty impressive enhancement.

My husband is thrilled. He grew up on Wonder Bread from the polka-dot plastic bag. His idea of home-baked bread comes in a tube that you whack on the edge of the counter. The freshly baked crust might be crisp and brown, but the interior should have the consistency of a cotton ball or he isn't happy. Over the years he has accepted, intellectually, the concept of loaves with texture and taste, but deep within his heart he longs for those soft supermarket slices.

When he tore open one of yesterday's crusty loaves and found a cloud-like interior without a bit of character, he was delighted. Today I'll see what happens when I add the enhancer to a batch of whole grain bread. Maybe I'll finally bake a 100% whole grain loaf that isn't as heavy as a brick.



Recipe: Starr's Bread Enhancer
.... adapted from Diane Mott Davidson's Bread Dough Enhancer in Fatally Flaky

1 c. wheat gluten
2 Tbs. liquid lecithin
1 tsp. ground ginger
2 packets plain gelatin
1/2 c. soy protein powder

Combine all ingredients in food processor; process until thoroughly blended.
Store air-tight in refrigerator.
Use 1 Tbs. Enhancer per 2 cups flour in bread recipes.

Recipe: Knuckle Bread
.... This flat bread has lots of depressions formed by the baker's knuckles while shaping individual loaves.
Serve plain alongside soups or salads, or add a variety of toppings

1 cup water, 105 to 110 degrees
3 Tbs. honey
2 tsp. yeast
2 c. bread flour
1 c. whole grain flour (whole wheat or spelt)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. Bread Enhancer (optional)
2 Tbs. olive oil

Optional toppings: olive oil or butter, coarse salt, sesame or poppy seeds, chopped onions or garlic, sliced olives, anchovies, sliced tomatoes and peppers, any pizza toppings. 

Combine warm water and honey; stir in yeast and let sit 5 minutes or until foaming.

Put dry ingredients in large mixer bowl. Add yeast mixture and olive oil.
Mix with dough hook just until combined, about two minutes. Drape mixer with a tea towel and let sit about 15 minutes. Uncover and continue beating with dough hook for about 8 minutes, or knead by hand until smooth and elastic.

Turn dough into a large oiled bowl and set aside to rise double.
Note: a long cool rise produces a better flavor than a quick warm rise (which is what often happens here in Arizona.) The dough may be left overnight or 8 - 10 hours in the refrigerator.
Half of the dough may be frozen at this point.

Gently let the air out of the dough, divide a full batch into 8 to 10 balls. If the dough has been refrigerated, roll balls with hands to warm them. Flatten balls and allow to rest about 5 minutes before flattening further. While the dough is resting, preheat oven to 500 degrees.

As the dough relaxes, continue to stretch and flatten into rounds about 5" wide, making depressions with knuckles. Brush with olive oil or butter, and add toppings if desired.
Bake directly on over rack 6-8 minutes until puffed and deeply browned.
Serve hot with extra butter or olive oil.

Recipe: Blossom Breakfast Bread

1/2 recipe Knuckle Bread Dough, above
Filling for 4 rolls: 
Chopped fresh or dried fruit such as prunes, apricots, raisins
. . . about 1/2 cup, chopped
Squeeze lemon juice
dash of cinnamon
dash salt

Make Knuckle bread dough as above.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
When shaping individual breads, gently stretch and flatten the circles of dough to 8 to 10 inches.

Place about 2 Tbs. filling on each round, spreading gently. Use more than you think you might need, because the dough will rise as it bakes and produce a lot of bread in proportion to the filling.

Fold dough over filling, turn-over style. Seal edges with water, milk or lemon juice. Brush with olive oil or milk, sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired.

Bake at 425 degrees 8 to 10 minutes, until deeply browned.