L is for leopard bread – World Bread Day ‘08

Zorra @ Kochtopf is hosting the 3rd World Bread Day today, on October 16th ’08. The original World Bread Day - an event created by UIB International Union of Bakers and Bakers-Confectioners - wants to provide an opportunity to talk about bread and bakers, to find out about their history, their importance as well as their future.

This has been a great opportunity to try something new in the bread department to bake! I decided to bake leopard bread and what inspired me to this loaf is it distinctive crust with spots akin to a leopard pattern. The unique crust is achieved by mixing olive oil and semolina together and applying this on the crust before proving. Delicious tasting bread with a lovely soft texture and a slight crusty outside.

Leopard Bread Spots

Leopard Bread

Ingredients
500g (1 lb 2 oz) strong plain white bread flour
7g sachet fast-action dried yeast
1 level tsp salt
4 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp semolina

You will need a baking sheet lightly greased

Method

Tip the flour into a bowl and stir in the yeast and salt. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to 300ml of tepid water in a jug, and then add to the four and mix to form a soft dough.

Turn the dough out on to a lightly floured work surface and knead it for 5 -8 minutes or in a kitchen mixer with a dough hook until it’s smooth and elastic. Shape the dough into an oval with your hands on a floured work surface and place on a greased baking tray.

Mix the remaining olive oil with the semolina to a thick paste in a jug. Spread this over the top and sides of the loaf with a small palette knife. Cover the loaf with a clean tea towel, and leave in a warm place to prove for 40 -60 minutes or until doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 220°C/fan200°C/425°F/Gas mark 7.

Bake the loaf in the centre of the preheated oven for 20 – 25 minutes or until lightly golden and sounds hollow when tapped on the underneath. Remove the loaf from the oven and slide onto a wire a rack to cool.

Serve sliced with butter – eat and enjoy :)