which in Puerto Rico is the day that the children receive gifts. Unfortunately, with two grown adult children in the apartment, the last 4kg of bread went by so quickly that I am baking again on New Year's day.
Baking on any day would not be a problem. However, baking on New Years means you have to consider the day before New Year's, a day that was spent on the island of Culebra. If you have not been, you should.
The island is part of the arid sub-tropical Atlantic, and therefore has no water sources. It is not what you would expect for the 'Caribbean'. However, the beaches are among the most beautiful in the world and the people, the most laid back.
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The El Eden Restaurant, Bar, Grocery Store, and Espresso
For example, you can dine at El Eden on fresh ciabatta bread with Italian prosciutto. For most everything on the menu, simply go to the refrigerators that line the walls, grab wine, beer, tuna, whatever, and enjoy. At the end of your meal the never forgetful owners simply tell you what you owe.
Back to the bread. Visiting Culebra during the 31st means you have a very late party meal, then watch the San Juan fireworks. (One of the interesting customs of San Juan is to allow only 'safe and sane' fireworks--this means that residents shoot off marine flares, 9mm pistols and the like. We left our apartment windows open to hear the noise and nearly had a parachute flare land in the living room.)
The good citizens of San Juan celebrate New Year and the new governor.
(The poster is for a Maritime Law School-not kidding.)
Back to the bread. Making bread on New Years Day means starting very late with no ingredients as all the stores are closed.
The whole recipe
For 4kg of 60% AR bread:
At 27C, allow the dough to rise 2 x 1hr with intermediate knock downs. On the second knock down, let the dough rest for 20 minutes, then divide into 100 gm boules.
Allow the boules to rest for 20-30 minutes, then form into braids and Kaiser knots.
Bake at 250C for 12 minutes on oven stones.
Commentary
This bread, having no whole wheat, was very light and fluffy. However the use of Amapola Todo Uso (all purpose), weakened the dough so it was less 'rustic'. Such are the needs of New Year's day.
More views of Culebra
Back to the bread. Visiting Culebra during the 31st means you have a very late party meal, then watch the San Juan fireworks. (One of the interesting customs of San Juan is to allow only 'safe and sane' fireworks--this means that residents shoot off marine flares, 9mm pistols and the like. We left our apartment windows open to hear the noise and nearly had a parachute flare land in the living room.)
The good citizens of San Juan celebrate New Year and the new governor.
(The poster is for a Maritime Law School-not kidding.)
Back to the bread. Making bread on New Years Day means starting very late with no ingredients as all the stores are closed.
The whole recipe
For 4kg of 60% AR bread:
- 2000 gm King Arthur Bread Flour
- 500 gm Amapola Todo Uso flour (we were out of bread flour)
- 1500 gm water (60% of flour) at 40C
- 15 gm Dominican Honey
- 14 gm La Vahiné yeast
- 50 gm salt
At 27C, allow the dough to rise 2 x 1hr with intermediate knock downs. On the second knock down, let the dough rest for 20 minutes, then divide into 100 gm boules.
Allow the boules to rest for 20-30 minutes, then form into braids and Kaiser knots.
Bake at 250C for 12 minutes on oven stones.
Commentary
This bread, having no whole wheat, was very light and fluffy. However the use of Amapola Todo Uso (all purpose), weakened the dough so it was less 'rustic'. Such are the needs of New Year's day.
