#bread magick

Witchcraft for the Restless ep 3.5  Bread Magic

This Episode is Patreon Exclusive. To listen to this, and all other bonus episodes, join me in The Restless Grove on Patreon at any level! Listen to all public episodes here or through most podcatchers.

Things I mentioned in this minisode:

1:30 Living Homegrown - ep. 126 - Making Sourdough Starter and Heirloom Flours 

1:55 Secret Feminist Agenda episode 2.26 Getting Deeply into Sourdough with Emily Hoven 

2:36 Intro - Magical Bread

4:19 Wild Yeast Starter as House Spirit

8:37 Preheating the Oven - Start from where you're at

9:24 Combining your Ingredient - Building your Spell 

10:16 Kneading - Ancestor Work 

11:55 Rising/Proofing - Something from Nothing 

13:45 Slashing Sigils - Control and Growth

14:31 Baking - Elemental Alchemy

15:20 Closing - Manifestation

Here's some more bread resources that I didn't mention in the episode!

Cooked ep. 3, Air on Netflix  A fantastic show, that is basically elemental kitchen witchery. This episode is all about bread and air!  

This is the recipe I use for my basic white loaves, except I use traditional dry yeast instead of instant, and just activate the yeast beforehand. I haven't tried it with wild yeast though! Paul Hollywood's White Bread Recipe 

Credits

Written, recorded, edited, produced, etc: Kai, TheRestlessWitch 

Music: Let the Gold Flow by Birds of Paradise

More Episodes 

Ingredients:

Note- this recipe makes 2 loaves!

For the dough:

8 oz warm milk not boiling

2 packets of Active Dry Yeast ¼ oz each or 4 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

5-5 ½ cups flour plus more for dusting

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ cup butter at room temperature

vegetable oil for dough

For the filling:

2 8 oz bar regular cream cheese softened

2 large egg yolk

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup raspberry jam or any other jam (recipe for it)

Directions:

In a large microwaveable bowl, heat the milk for 1 minute, 30 seconds at a time. If you are using a mixer, heat the milk in a measuring cup and transfer it to the mixing bowl. Add in the yeast and let it sit for 10 minutes until frothy.

Add in the sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract, and gently whisk to combine. Using the dough hook attachment, start adding in the flour one cup at a time mixing as you go. If you find the dough is coming together nicely after the 5th cup, then you can stop there. If it is still a little sticky, add the extra half cup of flour.

Add the salt into the last cup of flour and mix or knead until incorporated. Add in the softened butter and mix again until incorporated evenly. Continue mixing or kneading for 5-6 minutes, you may have to sprinkle some flour on your work surface so that the dough doesn’t stick. The dough is ready when it is no longer sticking to the surface and it is smooth and uniform throughout.

Place the dough back in the bowl used for mixing if you were kneading by hand. Pour 1 teaspoon oil around the dough and cover the bowl with a fresh tea towel. Leave it to rise to double it’s size for at least 1 hour or place in the fridge overnight.

Prepare the filling- in a small bowl combine the cream cheese, yolk, sugar, and vanilla and mix until combined evenly. Set aside and grab the jam.

Allow the dough to come to room temperature if it was stored in the fridge. On a lightly floured surface, cut the dough evenly in half and roll one portion out into a rectangle about 12” x 16” It can be smaller than that, you just want to make sure you have a rectangle shape.

Spread half the raspberry jam over the dough leaving a 1” border around the sides. Next spread half the cheese filling on top of that. Try not to mix the two if you really want to get the pink color, but it’s ok if you do a little bit!

Now starting from the long side, the side closest to you, start rolling the dough all the way up to the top border. It should now look like a log, like when you are making cinnamon buns, right before you cut them. Pinch the two ends of the log together and then with one hand on each end, twist the log as much as you can. Then fold it over so the ends touch, (like an upside down U) and do the same thing, twisting the ends in opposite directions. Kinda like a braid but with only 2 strands.

Spray a loaf pan with non stick spray and place the babka inside. Repeat the above steps with the other half of babka dough. Let the babkas rise for another half hour on your counter. Preheat your oven to 350° F and bake for 25- 30 minutes until golden brown.

Homemade Raspberry Jam

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups fresh raspberry

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 lemon, juiced

Directions:

In a medium saucepan add all your ingredients and over medium heat bring the fruit to a boil.

Stirring frequently, allow the fruit to boil for 20 minutes until the fruit starts to thicken. Remove from the heat and place a small dollop on a cold saucer. Push your finger through the dollop and if it feels gel-like and wrinkles then the jam has reached setting point. If it isn’t ready then return the pan to the heat and boil for another five minutes before testing again.

Ingredients (for Bread):

First Proofing:

600 g of bread flour (at least 12~14% protein)

42 g of egg white (approx 4 1/2 tbsp)

7 g of dry yeast (approx 1 1/8 tsp)

168 g of heavy cream (approx 3/4 cup)

190 g of whole milk (approx 3/4 cup)

12 g of unsalted butter, room temperature

18 g of sugar (approx 4 tsp), or 2 tbsp of sweeten condensed milk*

Second Proofing:

7.2 g of salt (approx 1 tsp)

5 g of dry yeast (approx 1 tsp)

90 g of sugar (approx 7 tbsp)

50 g of egg white (approx 5 tbsp)

36 g milk powder (I didn’t add this)

12 g of butter, room temperature

To finish:

40 g of browned butter

sea salt

egg wash

Directions:

Combine heavy cream, whole milk, butter and sugar in a bowl and warm it in the microwave to 110ºF. In a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment, combine bread flour, dry yeast, egg white and the warm milk mixture, then knead until smooth on medium speed. You could either now proof the dough in the fridge for 18 to 24 hours, or under room temperature for 1 to 2 hours until doubled. I placed my dough over the warm espresso machine to proof and it took approximately 2 hours for the dough to double.

Once the dough has doubled (or kept in the fridge overnight), take it out of the bowl and punch out the air. Cut the dough into small “bite-size” pieces and return it to the stand mixer with a dough hook. Add the salt, dry yeast, sugar and egg white (save the butter for later) and turn the mixer on medium. Work the dough until it is smooth and elastic (approx 5 min), then add the room temperature butter. Keep the mixer on medium and work the dough for another 3 min. The dough shouldn’t be sticking to the side of the bowl too much. If it does, add another couple tbsp of flour. Then turn the mixer on medium high and work the dough for another 6 to 10 min. The dough should pull away from the mixing bowl and making “slapping sounds” against the bowl.

When you are done, the dough should be in a state where it isn’t too sticky, but just moist and developed enough gluten that you could slowly stretch it into a thin, translucent film without breaking (see the pictures above). Divide the dough into 2 equal portions and let it rest for 15 min if it was proofed under room temperature, OR 30 min if it was kept in the fridge overnight. During this time prepare the browned butter. Melt the butter in a small sauce pot over medium heat. It will start to foam, then turn brown and smell nutty. Turn off the heat and set it aside.

Once the dough is rested, take 1 portion of the dough (keep the 2nd portion covered in plastic wrap) and divide it into 3 equal parts. Roll each part into an oval shape, then fold the sides toward the center (like folding a letter) and roll it out again into a long rectangle, then curl it up like a snail. Repeat the same step with the 2nd portion and let the dough pieces rest for another 15 min (you should now have 6 pieces of dough, 3 pieces for each portion).

I formed the 2 loafs into 2 different shapes, 1 that’s braided and 1 that’s not. To make the braided shape, roll 1 piece of dough out into a oval shape again. Brush the top of the dough with the browned butter and sprinkle with some sea salt, then roll it into a long log. Repeat the same step with the other 2 pieces, which will give you 3 long logs. Braid the 3 long dough like braiding a ponytail, and set it inside a loaf pan. OR for a traditional loaf, after brushing the dough with browned butter and sea salt, you could fold it again and curl it up like a snail, and set it side by side in a loaf pan.

At this point, I put the un-braided loaf into the freezer and kept the braided loaf under room temperature to proof. To bake the frozen loaf, take it out of the freezer and set it inside a loaf pan in a warm spot. Let it completely defrost and proof until it has expanded to 80% full. This will take several hours.

Preheat the oven on 360ºF/180ºC. Let the dough proof to 80% full (not doubled which will be 100%). This took another 1:30 hour in my kitchen. Brush the dough with egg wash and cover the loaf pan with aluminum foil. Bake in the oven for 20 min, then uncover the foil and let it bake for another 20 min until golden brown on the top. The loaf should expand significantly in the baking process.

You could take the loaf out of the pan and let it cool on a rack for 20 min. I personally think it’s a crime not to eat it while it still retains its warmth from the oven. You wouldn’t believe the stringy and chewy texture of this milk toast. It doesn’t need any jam or butter. It’s good enough to be a snacking bread on its own.

Filling Ideas:

Strawberry Sandwich

2 slices of the fluffiest white bread, preferably shokupan/hokkaido

1/2-3/4 cup lightly sweetened softly whipped cream

6-9 strawberries

Directions:

Cut the crusts off of the shokupan. Spread out a generous layer of whipped cream on both slices of bread. Top one slice with the strawberries, being sure to align so that when you slice, the strawberries will show.

Place the second slice of bread, cream side down, over the strawberries. Smooth the outside edges, adding extra whipped cream into the spaces, if necessary. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 15 minutes.

Use a very sharp knife to cut and enjoy!

Egg Salad Sandwich

4 large eggs

salt, to taste

1-2 tablespoons kewpie mayo, or to taste

2 slices fluffy white bread, crusts trimmed

Directions:

Remove the eggs from the fridge as your bringing your water to a boil.

Prepare an ice bath with a large bowl of cold water and ice.

Bring a pot of water to rolling boil, then turn the heat down and gently add eggs in, with a slotted spoon. Turn the heat back up to medium high and maintain a simmer for 7 minutes. Remove 2 of the eggs, and leave the remaining 2 eggs in for another minute and a half.

Plunge the eggs into an ice bath to cool down. Peel the eggs: Gently tap the wide end of the egg on the countertop, then flip around and tap the pointed end. Gently roll the egg and peel, under running water, if it helps.

Cut the 7 minute eggs in half and set aside. Place the remaining two eggs in a bowl and use a fork to crush with the mayonnaise and a sprinkle of salt until a rough paste forms. Taste and adjust the kewpie mayo and salt.

Spread an even layer of egg salad on one slice of bread then arrange the cut eggs on the salad, nestling in gently. Top with the remaining slice of bread, then cut into three, being sure to cut perpendicular to the yolks, so when you turn the sandwich, you see the yolks.

Chicken Katsu Sandwich

½ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup chopped bread-and-butter pickles

2 Tbsp. plus ¼ cup hot sauce, such as Crystal

1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more

½ cup all-purpose flour

3 Tbsp. cayenne pepper

2 tsp. garlic powder

1 large egg

2 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, lightly pounded to ½" thick

¼ cup (or more) extra-virgin olive oil

8 slices milk bread

Shredded iceberg lettuce (for serving)

Directions:

Combine mayonnaise, pickles, and 2 Tbsp. hot sauce in a small bowl. Season with salt; set aside.

Combine flour, cayenne, garlic powder, and remaining 1 tsp. salt in a medium bowl. Whisk egg and remaining ¼ cup hot sauce in another medium bowl. Place panko on a large plate. Working one at a time, dip chicken into flour dredge, turning to coat. Shake off any excess. Dip into egg mixture until coated, shaking off excess. Dredge in panko, turning to coat. Transfer to a large plate or a small rimmed baking sheet.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Working in 2 batches, cook chicken, reducing heat to medium if it’s browning too quickly, until golden and very crisp on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a wire rack.