Caramelized Onion Bread Recipes

CARAMELIZED ONION BREAD

Steps:

• To prepare the sponge, place the water in a mixing bowl.
• Sprinkle the yeast over the water, stir in and let sit for 2 minutes.
• Mix in the 1 cup bread flour.
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit overnight or for 14-16 hours.
• To prepare the onions, heat the olive oil and sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat for 1 minute.
• Add the onions, stir well, and saute, stirring occasionally, for 10-12 minutes or until browned and caramelized.
• Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool.
• To prepare the dough, place the water in the bowl of an electric mixer or in a mixing bowl.
• Sprinkle the yeast over the top, stir in, and let sit for 2 minutes.
• Add the sponge, bread flour, whole-wheat flour, salt and pepper.
• Mix with the dough hook for 2 minutes, or until the ingrediets are combine.
• Or beat vigoursly with a wooden spoon for 8-10 minutes.
• Let the dough rest for 15 mintes.
• Add the caramelized onions and resume mixing, continuing for 12-14 minutes or until the dough is silky and elastic and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
• The dough should be very wet and sticky, but still elastic.
• Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
• Let rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in volume.
• Turn over a baking sheet and set a piece of parchment paper on it.
• Place the dough on a well-floured work surface, handling it gently to preserve as much volume as possible and cut into 2 equal pices.
• Gently pull and stretch each piece of dough into a flat round, about 1 1/4 inches thick.
• Transfer to the parchment paper.
• You may have to reshape once you have moved it.
• Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• To avoid the plastic from sticking to the dough, spray the dough with some cooking spray.
• Place a baking stone on the middle rack in the oven and preheat to 450 degrees.
• Using a spray bottle, spritz the oven walls with water.
• Work quickly so the oven does not lose heat.
• You could also quickly place several ice cubes in the bottom of the oven after you have placed the loaves in the oven.
• Slide the loaves, still on the parchment paper, into the oven onto the hot stone.
• Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until the bread brown.
• Transfer the flatbreads to a rack to cool.
• Note: I could only bake one loaf at a time.
• Next time I will forget about turning the dough onto a floured board.
• I'll gently dump half of the dough onto each piece of parchment paper and shape it there.

CARAMELIZED ONION BREAD (BREAD MACHINE)

Steps:

• Melt butter in skillet over medium-low heat. Cook onions in butter 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are brown and caramelized. Do not hurry the process. Remove from heat.
• Place all remaining ingredients in bread machine pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer.
• Set to basic cycle with medium or light crust. Add onions at beep signal or 5 to 10 minute before end of kneading cycle.
• Alternatively, use dough cycle. Remove dough at end of cycle, shape as desired, place on cornmeal-sprinkled baking sheet and let rise. Bake for app. 30 to 40 minutes in a 400 deg. oven. Exact time depends on shape.
• Note: I generally substitute one cup of whole wheat or rye flour for one cup of the bread flour. Rye is particularly excellent.