Thursday 27 October 2011

Povitica - October 2011 Daring Bakers Challenge


I can't believe I am sitting here infront of the computer and writting the Daring Bakers Post on the day itself.
I was mumbling to hubby today morning , that I still have to write the post etc.... and he mumbled back now you know how things get pended to the last minute as I sometimes tell him why can't you do the things which you have to do earlier than hurrying up int he last minute.
I had so much days to write and keep this post.
As in the begning of the month when I saw what the DB challenge was I got so excited as I have never ever seen such a beautiful bread and I made it next day, can you believe that, normally I make my challenge much later.
I love and If i say loved I simply loved making this bread.
Though I have to admit I have never sweated so much while making a bread. As I was trying to make the dough as thin as possible.
I made the dough in our dinning table and you woudn't want to hear the noises i was making while rolling them, Hans even asked my what are you doing there as I was walking aorund tha table rolling the diugh.
And I coudn't wait to slice the bread and look how the shape was inside and as you can see they we so beautiful that when I skyped my sis, I showed it to her very proudly :-)
Ok now I did make a mistake I added less walnuts , I only found out when the bread was in the oven but still it was yumm and I added more cacao powder.

This  months Daring Bakers Challenge was hosted by Jenni of The Gingered Whisk and I am so happy that she did it as it was such a delight to do this challenge.
Preperation
To make Dough: 40 minutes


Rising: 1 hour and 30 minutes

Rolling and Assembly: 20 minutes per loaf, a generous total of 1 hour

Baking: 1 hour

Cooling: 30 minutes

To Make the Filling: 15 minutes, including the grinding of the nuts
Equipment required:
• A large work space, like a 4-person table or large kitchen island
• 4 large bowls to rise dough
• Plastic Wrap
• 4 Kitchen/Tea Towels
• 4 bread loaf pans (or as many as you own, and re-use them)
• Rolling Pin
• A Sheet or Cloth (the better the thread count and the softer they are, the less likely the dough will stick)
• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Wooden Spoons
• Pastry Brush
• Medium Saucepan
• Candy Thermometer
• Small Bowl
• Small Saucepan
• Nut Grinder
• Rubber Spatula
• Pastry scrapper

Povitica (makes 4 loaves)

Ingredients
To activate the Yeast:
2 Teaspoons (10 ml/9 gm) Sugar
1 Teaspoon (5 ml/3 gm) All-Purpose (Plain) Flour
½ Cup (120ml) Warm Water
2 Tablespoons (30ml/14 gm/½ oz/2 sachets) Dry Yeast

Dough:

2 Cups (480ml) Whole Milk
¾ Cup (180 ml/170gm/6 oz) Sugar
3 Teaspoons (15 ml/18 gm/2/3 oz) Table Salt
4 Large Eggs
½ Cup (120ml/115 gm/one stick/4 oz) Unsalted Butter, melted
8 cups (1.92 l/1.12 kg/39½ oz/2½ lb) All-Purpose Flour, measure first then sift, divided

Walnut Filling:

7 Cups (1.68 l/1.12 kg/2.5 lbs) Ground English Walnuts
1 Cup (240ml) Whole Milk
1 Cup (240ml/225 gm/2 sticks/8 oz) Unsalted Butter
2 Whole Eggs, Beaten
1 Teaspoon (5ml) Pure Vanilla Extract
2 Cups (480ml/450 gm/16 oz) Sugar
1 Teaspoon (5 ml/4 gm) Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 Teaspoon (5 ml/3 gm) Cinnamon

Topping:
½ Cup (120 ml) Cold STRONG Coffee
2 Tablespoons (30 ml/28 gm/1 oz) Granulated Sugar
Melted Butter
Directions:


To Activate Yeast:


1. In a small bowl, stir 2 teaspoons sugar, 1 teaspoon flour, and the yeast into ½ cup warm water and cover with plastic wrap.
2. Allow to stand for 5 minutes

To Make the Dough:


3. In a medium saucepan, heat the milk up to just below boiling (about 180°F/82°C), stirring constantly so that a film does not form on the top of the milk. You want it hot enough to scald you, but not boiling. Allow to cool slightly, until it is about 110°F/43°C.

4. In a large bowl, mix the scalded milk, ¾ cup (180 gm/170 gm/6 oz) sugar, and the salt until combined.

5. Add the beaten eggs, yeast mixture, melted butter, and 2 cups (480 ml/280 gm/10 oz) of flour.

6. Blend thoroughly and slowly add remaining flour, mixing well until the dough starts to clean the bowl
7. Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead, gradually adding flour a little at a time, until smooth and does not stick. Note: I did not use all 8 cups of flour


8. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces (they will each weight about 1.25 pounds/565 grams)


9. Place dough in 4 lightly oiled bowls, cover loosely with a layer of plastic wrap and then a kitchen towel and let rise an hour and a half in a warm place, until doubled in size

To Make the Filling


10. In a large bowl mix together the ground walnuts, sugar, cinnamon and cocoa.

11. Heat the milk and butter to boiling.

12. Pour the liquid over the nut/sugar mixture.

13. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix thoroughly.

14. Allow to stand at room temperature until ready to be spread on the dough.

15. If the mixture thickens, add a small amount of warm milk
To Roll and Assemble the Dough:


16. Spread a clean sheet or cloth over your entire table so that it is covered.

17. Sprinkle with a couple of tablespoons to a handful of flour (use flour sparingly)

18. Place the dough on the sheet and roll the dough out with a rolling pin, starting in the middle and working your way out, until it measures roughly 10-12 inches (25½ cm by 30½ cm) in diameter
19. Spoon 1 to 1.5 teaspoons (5ml to 7 ½ ml/4 gm to 7 gm) of melted butter on top.


20. Using the tops of your hands, stretch dough out from the center until the dough is thin and uniformly opaque. You can also use your rolling pin, if you prefer.

21. As you work, continually pick up the dough from the table, not only to help in stretching it out, but also to make sure that it isn’t sticking.

22. When you think it the dough is thin enough, try to get it a little thinner. It should be so thin that you can see the color and perhaps the pattern of the sheet underneath.

23. Spoon filling (see below for recipe) evenly over dough until covered
24. Lift the edge of the cloth and gently roll the dough like a jelly roll
25. Once the dough is rolled up into a rope, gently lift it up and place it into a greased loaf pan in the shape of a “U”, with the ends meeting in the middle. You want to coil the dough around itself, as this will give the dough its characteristic look when sliced

26. Repeat with remaining three loaves, coiling each rope of dough in its own loaf pan.


27. Brush the top of each loaf with a mixture of ½ cup (120 ml) of cold STRONG coffee and 2 tablespoons (30ml/28 gm/1 oz) of sugar. If you prefer, you can also use egg whites in place of this
28. Cover pans lightly will plastic wrap and allow to rest for approximately 15 minutes.


29. Preheat oven to moderate 350°F/180°C/gas mark 4.

30. Remove plastic wrap from dough and place into the preheated oven and bake for approximately 15 minutes.

31. Turn down the oven temperature to slow 300°F/150°C/gas mark 2 and bake for an additional 45 minutes, or until done.

32. Remove bread from oven and brush with melted butter.

33. Check the bread at 30 minutes to ensure that the bread is not getting too brown. You may cover the loaves with a sheet of aluminum foil if you need to.

34. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for 20-30 minutes, still in the bread pan. Remember, the bread weighs about 2.5 and it needs to be able to hold its own weight, which is difficult when still warm and fresh out of the oven. Allowing it to cool in the pan helps the loaf to hold its shape.

35. It is recommended that the best way to cut Povitica loaves into slices is by turning the loaf upside down and slicing with a serrated knife
Dough is ready and kept for doubling up
                                                               Starting to rolling
                                                                   Roll and Roll

                                                            and Roll and roll  and stretch:-)

Roll and roll again and stretch and sweat :-)
                                                 Spreading the mix, i did with my hand

                                                                      Ready
                                                                Doubled up the size

Smaller batch measurements courtesy of Audax a chef who is in DB and he is the one who makes always first the challengs and help us through :-)


Half Batch Dough Ingredients (Makes two loaves each 1.25 lbs/565 grams)

To activate the Yeast:
1 Teaspoon (5 ml/4 ½ gm) Sugar
½ Teaspoon (2½ ml/1½ gm) All-Purpose (Plain) Flour
¼ Cup (60 ml) Warm Water
1 Tablespoon (15 ml/7 gm/¼ oz/1 sachet) Dry Yeast

Dough:

1 Cup (240 ml) Whole Milk
6 Tablespoons (90 ml/85 gm/3 oz) Sugar
1½ Teaspoons (7½ ml/9 gm/1/3 oz) Table Salt
2 Large Eggs
¼ Cup (60 ml/60 gm/½ stick/2 oz) Unsalted Butter, melted
4 cups (960 ml/560 gm/19¾ oz/1¼ lb) All-Purpose Flour, measure first then sift, divided

Topping:

¼ Cup (60 ml) Cold STRONG Coffee
1 Tablespoon (15 ml/14 gm/½ oz) Granulated Sugar

Melted Butter


Half Batch Filling Ingredients (enough filling for the two loaves(
3½ Cups (840 ml/560 gm/1¼ lb/20 oz) Ground English Walnuts
½ Cup (120 ml) Whole Milk
½ Cup (120 ml/115 gm/1 stick/4 oz) Unsalted Butter
1 Whole Egg, Beaten
½ Teaspoon (2½ ml) Pure Vanilla Extract
1 Cup (240 ml/225 gm/8 oz) Sugar
½ Teaspoon (2½ ml/2 gm) Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
½ Teaspoon (2½ ml/1½ gm) Cinnamon


Quarter Batch Dough Ingredients (Makes one loaf 1.25 lbs/565 grams)


To activate the Yeast:
½ Teaspoon (2½ ml/2¼ gm) Sugar
¼ Teaspoon (1¼ ml/¾ gm) All-Purpose (Plain) Flour
2 Tablespoons (30 ml) Warm Water
1½ Teaspoons (7½ ml/3½ gm/0.125 oz/½ sachet) Dry Yeast

Dough:

½ Cup (120 ml) Whole Milk
3 Tablespoons (45 ml/43 gm/1½ oz) Sugar
¾ Teaspoon (3¾ ml/9 gm/0.17 oz) Table Salt
1 Large Egg
1 tablespoon (30 ml/30 gm/¼ stick/1 oz) Unsalted Butter, melted
2 cups (480 ml/280 gm/10 oz/0.62 lb) All-Purpose Flour, measure first then sift, divided

Topping:


2 Tablespoons (30 ml) Cold STRONG Coffee
1½ Teaspoons (7½ ml/7 gm/¼ oz) Granulated Sugar

Melted Butter

Quarter Batch Filling Ingredients (enough filling for one loaf)

1¾ Cups (420 ml/280 gm/10 oz) Ground English Walnuts
¼ Cup (60 ml) Whole Milk
¼ Cup (60 ml/58 gm/½ stick/2 oz) Unsalted Butter
1 Egg Yolk From A Large Egg, Beaten
¼ Teaspoon (1¼ ml) Pure Vanilla Extract
½ Cup (120 ml/115 gm/4 oz) Sugar
¼ Teaspoon (1¼ ml/1 gm) Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
¼ Teaspoon (1¼ ml/¾ gm) Cinnamon

Storage:


There are several options for storing (and eating) your four loaves of Povitica:

• The Povitica will keep fresh for 1 week at room temperature.

• The Povitica will keep fresh for 2 weeks if refrigerated.

• The Povitica can be frozen for up to three months when wrapped a layer of wax paper followed by a layer of aluminum foil. It is recommended to not freeze Povitica with cream cheese fillings as it doesn’t hold up to being thawed really well – it crumbles


35 comments:

sra said...

This must be your biggest post ever! It looks very different from any bread I've seen earlier. Trying to imagine you sweating over the table, rolling out the dough and making noises!

Bombay-Bruxelles said...

Superb! This looks so good. Kudos to you for trying it out a real 'Daring' challenge

Shalet said...

wow, that looks gorgeous. at the length of the post, and the time that is needed, hmm, I am not courageous enough to venture... :-)

suma said...

Wow Finla! This looks seriously good and like a lot of effort :)), thanks for the step-by-step pics. I will definitely try this when I feel up to it! Looks delicious!!

Jenni said...

Wonderful job! Your povitica is beautiful! It is quite a workout to make, but that only helps you burn calories so you can eat more bread!

indosungod said...

WOW! that is one difficult bread. Looks fantastic though.

Hats of to you and to Hans for putting up with the baker :)

Cakelaw said...

Gorgeous bread Finla - well done! I agree with you on the back-breaking work - ouch.

Deepthi Shankar said...

Amazing looking bread

Mandira said...

wow, this looks absolutely delicious!

Laavanya said...

That looks amazing.. very intricate indeed :)

Gloria Baker said...

Happy cook this look abnsolutely amazing!!! gloria

Vanamala Hebbar said...

awesome...

Sarah Naveen said...

This is a very new thing for me.! i can see you put lot of effort too...Great job Finla! that looks damn good!

Cham said...

Wow, it is like a zebra bread & work of art, what a beautiful challenge Finla!

Priya Suresh said...

Omg, absolutely stunning, just pulling to give try, excellent job Finla..

Laura (Blogging Over Thyme) said...

This bread is beautiful--I've never seen a bread with such tight swirls--and tons of them.

Love all the step-by-step photos too, that always helps with the baking process.

Russell at Chasing Delicious said...

What a gorgeous loaf! Yum!

Unknown said...

WOW Finla...thats soo amazing and looks great too!...very new to me and really really cool!....

... said...

GOREGOUS loaf of bread!

Raks said...

Wonderful bake Finla! Great effort!

LifenSpice said...

Wonderful job Finla! It must have been an effort to put it together but the result looks simply awesome:)

Priya dharshini said...

Thats luks stunning..I wud luv to try this soft layered bread..Excellent baking ,finla

Shoba Shrinivasan said...

oh wow,

now that is a post....rolling the dough, spreading, stretching, filling, fitting it int he pan, baking and then writing this really really looooooong post...that must have easily taken like 2-3 hours!!! lOOKS LOVELY and liked hte unusual shape. But the instructions though long, are easy and I think i shd try it tooo!

Shobha

Jo said...

Beautiful job! Your swirls look great.

Deeba PAB said...

This is sensational stuff Finla, and I am sad I missed it. Maybe I can try in a day. I'm absolutely loving how good it looks! WOW!!

The Betz Family said...

I like how your bread has three almost perfects crowns on top! I too rolled mine out on my table and while sweating I also felt like cursing but restrained myself. :) Nice job on the challenge!

Heather said...

What a great result - fantastic :)

Deeba PAB said...

Was here earlier this morning, but think my comment disappeared! Well here I am again, and to tell you that your post and beautiful pictures inspired me to bake this today! I am so glad I did! It's fabulous! Thank you, and sweet Hans ... now the arduous task of typing my post!

kouky said...

so beautiful and amaizing job!! I love your povitica!

La Cuisine d'Helene said...

Totally in love, I want to bake this.

Angie's Recipes said...

I love this one too. The filling looks extremely delicious.

kankana said...

That seriously looks like one challenging baking. You did it so neatly .. well done :)

kankana said...

That seriously looks like one challenging baking. You did it so neatly .. well done :)

Unknown said...

Wow looks so perfect...beautifully baked too

Bong Mom said...

Superb bread. looks very unlike anything I have ever seen. Oh, how i wish I lived near you :)