My Ultimate No Knead Stoneground Bread Recipe.

 

For the past few years I have been experimenting with different bread recipes and baking methods and this one is the best I have made to date.

You need an oval roasting pan with a lid to bake it in. I have a Kauffman 3.0 litre one aka a Braaibak in South Africa. It is smaller than most.

Ingredients.

500g Stoneground white bread flour (Eureka or Gideon)

350ml water @ 40 degrees

1 tsp salt

1 tsp Instant yeast

1 Tbsp olive oil

Method.

Put all the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl and stir to combine well.

Add the olive oil and warm water.

Mix together using a wooden spoon or silicone spatula until it is completely combined and there is no dry flour left at the bottom of the bowl. This is the hardest part of the recipe.

Cover the bowl with clingwrap and leave to stand to ferment/proof for up to 24 hours but not less than 8 hours. After a few hours you should be able to see if it's rising and then it means that your yeast is active.

Either grease the bottom part of your roasting tin with butter or lard or line it with baking paper. I use a 45cm wide baking paper to ensure proper coverage.

Place the dough into the roasting tin after knocking it down thoroughly either in the mixing bowl or on a floured surface and stretch it to fit. Place the lid on and let it rise for another 2 hours.

Place the tin with the lid on into a preheated oven at 230 degrees.

After 15 minutes turn the oven down to 190 degrees.

Bake for a further 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the lid and test to see it it is fully baked by either tapping the base to see if you get a hollow sound or inserting a skewer into the middle and seeing if it comes out clean. If not bake, for another few minutes.

Once you are satisfied that it's ready, remove the lid and bake for another 5 minutes to brown the crust.

Remove and let it cool down on a wire rack. 

The image below was baked in a preheated cast iron bread potjie.

Easy homemade custard

Ingredients.

250ml full cream milk 

1 large egg 

1 Tbsp cornflower  

1 Tbsp sugar 

1/3 tsp vanilla essence 

Method 

Beat the egg and sugar and add to the milk in a pot. Stir until all the sugar is dissolved.

Add the cornflower while stirring until is is thoroughly absorbed.

Stir in the vanilla essence.

Place the pot on the stove at medium heat and bring to the boil, stirring all the time.

The custard is ready to use. Hot or cold.

I usually double up the recipe for a decent amount of custard.

Chickpea Butter Masala

Ingredients.

2 tins chickpeas, drained and rinsed.

2 tomatoes blanched, peeled and quartered

4 garlic cloves

1 thumb sized piece of ginger

(or you could use a tin of chopped tomatoes with about two Tbsp of garlic and ginger paste blended with a stick blender)

1 large onion very finely chopped 

1 Tbsp sunflower oil

2 Tbsp butter

1 tsp cumin/jeera seeds

1/2 Tbsp tomato paste

1/2 tsp tumeric

1 heaped tsp chili powder or to taste

2 tsp ground coriander powder

1 tsp cumin/jeera

2 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp crushed fenugreek leaves

1/2 cup water

200ml coconut milk

1/2 cup fresh coriander 

1 Tbsp melted butter

1 tsp paprika

1/4 cup fresh chopped coriander for garnish.

Method.

Place the fresh tomatoes, garlic and ginger into a blender and blend until smooth. 

Add the oil and 2 Tbsp butter to a pot or deep pan and add the onion, cumin seed and 1/4 tsp salt and saute until lightly browned.

Add the tomato paste and cook for another minute stirring

Add the spices (Tumeric, Cumin powder and Chili powder)

Add the blended tomato, garlic and ginger puree, cover with a lid and cook for around 5 minutes. Stir mixture, partially cover and cook until thickened. 

Stir and add the 2 tsp salt, the sugar, the garam masala and crushed fenugreek leaves.

Add the chickpeas and water, keeping 1/3 cup aside and stir.

Blend the 1/3 cup reserved chickpeas and add to the pot and stir. I used a pestle and mortar to crush them to a paste.

Cover and cook on low for 15 minutes.

taste and adjust seasoning.

Add the chopped fresh coriander and coconut milk keeping some of the coconut milk aside for garnish. Stir.

cover and cook for another 5 minutes.

melt the butter in a pan, switch off the heat, add the paprika to it and pour over the curry.

Garnish with a bit more fresh coriander leaves and streaks of coconut milk.

Serve with Naan bread or Roti.