Gaelic Celtic Bread Challenge A ritual bread year, one loaf each month One loaf for each turning of the year, using modern methods to honor ancient ways. Each bake is inspired by: - An Irish mythological deity, spirit, or persona - A solar or lunar threshold - The agricultural and hearth traditions that shaped Irish foodways Bread is where grain, fire, water, and time meet, and that meeting lies at the heart of the Celtic year. My June bake honors: Áine and the Summer Solstice Midsummer marks the solar climax of the year, the longest day, when the sun stands at its peak strength before beginning its slow decline. This bake reflects three core themes: - Solar Power: A rich, golden dough shaped into a unifying form. - Protection: Rosemary and thyme, long associated with safeguarding the home and spirit, are bloomed in the tangzhong, carrying their oils into every crumb. - Abundance: Milk, butter, and eggs reflect the fullness of early summer, when the land gives freely and the herd is strong. Áine’s Midsummer Hearth Loaf (Wild Herb Brioche) Formula: Scaled to fit a 9 x 4.5 x 2.75 inch Cast Iron loaf pan Total dough: 800 g Total flour: 320 g Hydration: 69% (including eggs) - 100% AP Flour (320 g) - 38% Milk (122 g) - 50% Butter (160 g) - 14% Sugar (45 g) - 42% Egg  (135 g) - 2% Instant yeast (6 g) - 2% salt (6 g) - 0.6% Rosemary: (2 g)  - 0.8% Lemon Thyme: (3 g)  METHOD: Using a planetary mixer and a Brod & Taylor proofing box @ 26°C (78°F) 1. Tangzhong: Whisk 25g flour, 75g milk, and the herbs in a pan over medium heat until a thick paste forms at 150°F. Cover and cool to room temp. 2. Make dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the tangzhong, the rest of the cold milk, and cold eggs. Add the rest of the flour, salt, sugar, and yeast. Mix on speed 1 until ingredients are combined, then on speed 2 for 10 minutes. 3. Emulsify: On speed 2, drop soft (20–22°C/68–71.5°F) butter cubes in gradually, over about 90 seconds to 2 minutes, giving the dough a chance to mix most of the butter in. 4. Mixing Part 2: Mix on speed 2 for 15-20 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until it passes a windowpane test. 5. Proofing: Cover and let rise to a 60% increase (1-1.5 hours). 6. Shaping: Divide into 3 equal portions, roll into balls, and place on a parchment paper-lined pan; cover and refrigerate overnight. The next morning, reshape each piece into a ball and place in a well-greased 9x5 pan 7. Final Rise: Cover and proof until the dough is roughly 1 inch above the pan rim (2-2.5 hrs). 8. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with herbs. 9. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 20 minutes and at 350°F (175°C) for 20 minutes with a foil cover.

Blueberry and Lemon Scones This is my favorite scone recipe. Just in time for blueberry season. They only take 45 minutes! Ingredients: - 125 g / 4½ oz butter, frozen - 1¼ tsp baking powder - ¼ tsp salt - 350 g / 12 oz self-raising flour or 350 g AP flour + 3 tsp baking powder - 50 g sugar - 2 tbsp lemon juice - Zest of 1 lemon - 150 g blueberries - 1 medium egg - 190 ml buttermilk - 24 blueberries, to decorate (optional) Oven temperature: 220°C / 440°F Method: 1. Preheat the oven and line a large baking tray with parchment paper. 2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the self-raising flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. 3. Grate in the frozen butter and rub into the flour until the mixture resembles rough breadcrumbs. 4. Add the lemon zest and lemon juice and mix to combine. 5. Add the blueberries and fold in gently. 6. Mix the buttermilk and egg together. Add to the dry ingredients a little at a time, starting with 3/4 of it, mixing with a fork until a soft dough forms. 7. Pat the dough into a round approximately 2.5 inches / 6.5 cm thick. 8. Using a sharp, floured knife, cut into eight triangles. 9. Place the scones on the prepared baking tray, leaving space between each one. 10. Brush the tops lightly with buttermilk and push in a few extra blueberries on top. 11. Sprinkle with demerara sugar for a crunchy finish. 12. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until risen and golden.

Over the past few weeks I have been comparing the same basic recipe. Wk-1: A lean sourdough bread baked in a 9x5 loaf pan Total flour: 453g; 90% Bread flour & 10% Whole Wheat flour 75% water, 2% Salt, 20% Starter Wk-2: An enriched sourdough sandwich bread baked in a 9x5 loaf pan Total flour: 453g; 90% Bread flour & 10% Whole Wheat flour 68% water, 2% Salt, 6% Butter, 6% Honey, and 20% Starter Wk-3: An enriched, yeasted sandwich bread baked in a standard 8.5 x 4.5 x 2.75 loaf pan Total flour: 453g; 90% Bread flour & 10% Whole Wheat flour 68% water, 2% Salt, 6% Butter, 6% Honey, and 1% instant yeast This week I will make the same enriched sandwich bread as last week, except it will be leavened with instant yeast. This bread comes together in about 3 hours. If you want the sourdough tang, you can make a hybrid using last week's ingredients, add 1 ½ tsps of instant yeast, and follow this week's method. In a week or two I will add more fat to the basic recipe and it will be called a Brioche. Yeasted Sandwich Bread Ingredients: - Bread flour - 408 g - Whole wheat flour - 45 g - Water - 308 g - Salt - 9 g - Butter - 27 g - Honey - 27 g - Instant yeast - 5 g Method: 1. Mix all on #1 using a stand mixer 2. Knead on #2 for 12-13 min. using a stand mixer. Add the melted butter slowly after 8 min. To ensure the gluten is developed before you add the fat. 3. Bulk proof until "Doubled"; fully proofed 4. Shape and place in a standard 8.5 x 4.5 x 2.75 loaf pan 5. 2nd proof until 1 inch above the rim of the tin 6. Brush with melted butter and bake at 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes. Use a 2nd tin as a cover for the first 15 min.

Sourdough Sandwich Bread Do you know the difference between a “Sourdough bread baked in a loaf pan” and a “Sourdough sandwich bread”? The primary difference lies in the crumb structure and crust texture. The first loaf is a rustic “Pan Loaf” that mimics a hearth bread, while the second is a classic “Enriched Sandwich Loaf” built for softness and longevity. When I bake bread to be used for a sandwich, I donot want large holes for the mayo, mustard, or jelly to fall through. I don't want a crust so chewy that the filling extrudes out from between the slices as I try to bite through it. But I do want the health benefits of a natural sourdough leavening agent instead of commercial yeast. This is where sourdough sandwich bread shines. Bread 1: The Lean Artisan Pan Loaf Classification: High-Hydration Lean Dough - Crust: Thick, blistered, and very crunchy due to the high 475°F heat. - Crumb: Open, irregular, and "custardy." The 75% hydration and 60% bulk create oven spring and larger gas pockets. - Flavor: Sharp and tangy. Without sugar or fats to mask it, the long, cold retard highlights the acetic acid from the sourdough culture. - Texture: Chewy with a significant "bite."  - Bread 2: The Enriched Sourdough Sandwich Loaf Classification: Enriched Soft Dough - Crust: Thin, soft, and golden-brown. The lower 350°F temp prevents a hard crust, while the honey and butter promote even browning (Maillard reaction). - Crumb: Tighter, uniform, and "pillowy." The 12-minute stand mixer session develops a strong gluten window, and the 100% proof ensures no large holes. - Flavor: Mellow and rich. The honey and butter soften the sourdough tang, resulting in a creamy, slightly sweet profile. - Texture: Tender and shreddable. The fats coat the gluten strands, making the bread stay fresh and soft for days longer than the lean loaf. Key Process Differences Bread 1 (Lean} - Hydration - 75% (Rustic Dough) - Kneading - Stretch & Folds (Preserves gas/texture) - Fat/Sugar - 0% (Lean) - Proofing - 60% (Oven spring and ear) - Bake Temp - 475°F (Steam & Crust focus) -

‘Vermont Sourdough with Toasted Pecans & Sultanas’ I scaled the recipe to make one loaf at a total of 1,289 grams to fit a 13-inch oval banneton. Baked in an enameled baker. Total flour, 614 grams: 75% KA Bread flour, 20% KA Whole Wheat flour, and 5% Dark Rye flour. 75% hydration, 1.9% salt, 18% sultanas, 18% toasted pecans, and 20% levain (100% hydration). When mixing, I had a request to add some mixed spice. I added 1 ½ Tbsp. (Mixed spice: Cinnamon 2 tsp, Nutmeg 1 tsp, Cloves ½ tsp, Ginger 1 tsp, Allspice 1 tsp, Coriander 1 tsp, and Mace 1 tsp. I always have a jar of this on hand.) Ingredients: - Bread flour - 393 g - Whole wheat flour - 121 g - Dark rye flour - 30 g - Water - 393 g - Salt - 12 g - Levain - 121 g (100% hydration) - Pecans (toasted) - 109 g - Sultanas - 109 g Method: 1. Toast the pecans 2. Soak the sultanas overnight in rum and drain. 3. Mix the levain the night before using a 1-5-5 feed, 70°F for 10 hours 4. Mix all, holding back the nuts and sultanas. 5. 45-minute fermentolyse (Brod & Taylor @ 78°F) 6. Perform 3 sets of stretch & folds at 45 min. Intervals.  7. Add the nuts & sultanas on the 2nd stretch & fold 8. Bulk proof until you have a 60% increase in the original mixed volume. This took 1 more hour. (Brod & Taylor @ 78°F) 9. Shape and place in a 13-inch oval banneton. 10. Refrigerate overnight 11. Preheat the oven with an enameled backer to 500°F.  12. Score 13. Lower the heat to 475°F and bake for 20 minutes with the cover; lower the heat to 450°F and bake for 20 minutes without the cover.