Cranberry and stilton bread p.110/111

An interesting combination and I shall endeavour to make two ... the one as described in the Silver Fox's book and one combining dried cherries and roquefort - and so Monday 4th February awaits.

The - yet to be softly risen dough awaiting ...

Sunday 3rd February ... materlogged pitches meant my services were not required to conjure up the little Italy in Wales pasta bolognaise Mumbles Rugby Club.  As aresult dried cherries & roquefort bread begins .... and presently cooking :)

So to back track ...
As Paul says salt and yeast on separate sides of the mound of flour because the salt kills the action of the yeast.  I added to that the 30g of soft unsalted butter followed by 3/4 of the 320 millilitres of cool water. 

If you haven't got a jug with mls. on then you can weigh the amount in  grammes because a kilo of water = 1litre, hence mls = gms ..... in water; other substances maybe denser so it won't work i.e. syrup etc but should work with milk though as well as water.   I might be wrong ..
Anyway I weighed my water anfd it turned out right.

I mixed this with my hand as the mixer ... so love this part .. reminds me of playing with dollops and puddles of mud in days gone by.

Mix until you are including the flour from sides of the bowl - you may need to add some more of the water.  When all the flour has been incorporated tip it out onto a lightly floured work surface

 and knead for about 5-10 minutesd until it soft and smooth but not sticky - work through the sticky phase.

Place into a ligtly oiled bowl, cover witha clean tea towel and let it prove unti lit has doubled in size : maybe 1 through 2/3 hours won't harm

Next step is to carefully tip, encourage the risen douigh out of the bowl onto a l,ightly floured work surface.  Being carefful not to punch the air out of the dough, flatten with your hand - you need a rectangulay shape measuring approx 25cms X 35cms.  You might have to use a rolling pin.

With the long edge facing you scatter the dried cherries and crumble the roquefort evenly over the flattened doughthough leaving a little space around the edges :

 

You now have to roll up the dough into a sausage shape and place it ina spiral onto your parchment lined baking tray.  Place it inside a clean plastic bag :

 

and let the dough rise until it is light and has doubled in size- about an hour.  Half way through that place a baking tray into the bottom of your oven which nededs to be set at 220 or gas mark 6/7.
Afer it has doub kled in size , pour hot water into the oven tray and place the spiralled dough on its tray ontothe middle shelf and bake for 30 minutes.  Don't be tempted to open the oven door- it needs the heat of the oven to rise to ts princely height .. or spread .... the chemistry of baking

et voila :

Then ... yes go on ... try a hot slice ... you will not regret it .... having most certainly passed first line QC I have texted tasting panel members.

Wow so good and has to be made again ... and again ... and of course again .... go on - get baking !