beet bread

I made up this recipe, with an idea from R.L. Beranbaum's The Bread Bible. I made a video of how to make it, but I had never tried the recipe before I filmed the video (the video deadline was yesterday, so I had to make bread as quickly as possible.) In any case, I don't like whole wheat bread that much, but it is better for you than white bread. The beet juice gives the bread a nice red tint (the longer you boil the beets the darker the red tone), and it's also full of vitamins and sugars. The sugars are good for the yeast to rise, and they give the bread a slightly sweet taste. See the video in the post below.

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Ingredients

2 1/2 cups white bread flour

1 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cups beet water (what's left from boiling beets)

1/2 tsp yeast

2 tsp salt

Directions

Whisk flours and yeast together.

Add beet water and mix with a wooden spoon.

Knead on a counter until dough forms.

Let rest under plastic for 20 minutes (autolyse: see bottom of post).

Add salt and knead again until well mixed.

Let rise under plastic for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 450 F (230 C) at least one our before baking. Remember to put the sheet in the oven before you preheat.

Take out dough, cut in half, and shape on the counter (business letter fold and rolling - watch video for guidance).

Put on a floured towel and cover with plastic. Let rise for an hour.

Slash bread with a razor blade, sift flour on top.

Take baking sheet out of oven, put some corn meal on it, put bread on it.

Toss water in the oven to create steam and quickly close.

Bake for 15 minues (30 minutes in Le Creuset) or until golden brown.

Test to see if ready by tapping on bottom. If it sounds hollow, it's ready.

Let cool before slicing.

Autolyse refers to a particular period of rest after the initial mixing of flour and water, a rest period that occurs sequentially before the addition of yeast and other ingredients. This rest period allows for better absorption of water and allows the gluten and starches to align. Breads made with autolysed dough are easier to form into shapes and have more volume and improved structure.
(Gisslen, Wayne (2008). Professional baking. New York: John Wiley)