Bird Cherry Flour Bread is a modern British recipe for a classic loaf of bread, as made during the Second World War that contains 20% bird cherry flour in the mix. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Bird Cherry Flour Bread.
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During the Second World War, when wheat was scarce many adulterants were added to bread to save on flour. One of these was a flour made from pounded and dried bird cherries, which is a Russian staple. This is an attempt at re-creating that style of bread, without losing the rising properties or texture of a traditional loaf.
Ingredients:
136g bird cherry flour
544g strong bread flour flour
24g yeast
14g white sugar
60ml lukewarm water (for yeast)
340ml water (for dough)
13g salt
12g butter
Method:
Mix the yeast and white sugar into the 60ml water and leave in a warm place for 10 minutes to prove.
Combine the bird cherry flour, wheat flour and salt together and combine with the butter and the yeast mixture. Add the remaining water a little at a time until you have a smooth dough. Remove this from the bowl and tip onto a floured surface and knead thoroughly (for at least 5 minutes).
Roll the dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl. Cover with a damp cloth, place in a warm spot and allow to prove for at least 75 minutes, or until doubled in size. Knock the dough back and knead for a further 5 minutes then return to the bowl, cover and allow to prove for a further 45 minutes.
Knock back once more and divide the dough into 2 equal parts. Knead each dough piece well to remove any trapped air then press the two dough pieces into half-loaf tins. Press down well into the tin then cover the tins and allow the dough to raise for at least 45 minutes in a warm place (or until the dough has risen some 2cm over the top of the tins).
Place in an oven pre-heated to 210°C (100°C fan/410°F/Gas Mark 7) and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the loaves sound hollow when tapped. Allow to cool a little before tipping onto a wire rack to cool completely.
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