Flaky Bread Recipes

DILL FLAKEY BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, pastry flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Create a well in the center and add 3/4 cup water. Mix until you have a shaggy dough.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead, adding additional flour as needed, until smooth, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and rest for 30 minutes.
• Turn the dough out onto a work surface and divide into 6 balls. Keep them covered with plastic wrap when you're not working with them. Using your hands, spread 1 tablespoon butter on a large work surface, top one of the balls of dough with another tablespoon of butter and pat out into a flat circle. Put the buttered dough ball on top of the spot of butter on the work surface. Using a flat hand, gently massage the dough in circular motions (as if you're washing a window) to flatten it out into a very large translucent circle. It's ok if it tears and is not perfect just try to get it as thin as possible!
• Top with a sprinkling of the dill and then roll it out into a long, skinny log. Roll the log into a coil and transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining dough.
• Roll out the coils into 7-inch-round circles by placing them between two pieces of wax paper and flattening with a rolling pin. The dough will probably want to stick to the wax paper, but it's ok if it tears while you're peeling it off. Alternatively, you can stick the rolled-out coils in the fridge for about 30 minutes, which will make them slightly easier to handle.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat and cook one at a time until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Serve hot!

FLAKY BRIOCHE

Steps:

• Dough: Combine milk and yeast in a small liquid-measuring cup. Set aside until yeast is dissolved, about 5 minutes.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, combine flours, salt, and sugar. Add yeast mixture and 4 eggs; mix on medium speed until dough is smooth, about 6 minutes. Add room-temperature butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing well after each addition. Continue mixing until dough is smooth and shiny, about 3 minutes more. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently into a ball. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate 1 hour.
• Butter Package: Arrange cold butter in a single layer on a piece of plastic wrap and loosely wrap. On a sturdy work surface, use a rolling pin to beat until butter is slightly softened, then roll out to a 5-by-8-inch rectangle, adjusting plastic as necessary. Refrigerate until chilled, about 20 minutes.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 7-by-18-inch rectangle. Place chilled butter package on bottom half of dough, leaving about a 1-inch border on three of the sides. Fold top half of dough over butter to cover, then pinch edges together to seal. Tuck overhanging dough edges under to form a neat package. Roll out dough once more to a 7-by-18-inch rectangle. Fold top third of dough down towards center, then fold bottom third on top (like a business letter). This completes a single turn. Rotate dough package 90 degrees and repeat rolling and folding process. Wrap well in plastic and refrigerate about 45 minutes. Perform two additional single turns on dough. Wrap well in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
• Brush two standard 9-by-5-inch loaf pans with room-temperature butter. Roll out dough to a 14-by-14-inch square. Lightly brush top 3 inches of dough with water. Starting at opposite long edge, roll dough into a tight spiral, pressing to seal end. Cut log into 6 equal pieces and space evenly in prepared pans, cut-sides up. Lightly brush sides of dough pieces that face each other with water. Loosely cover with plastic and let rise in a warm spot until dough is light and full of air and has expanded to nearly fill pans, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake until loaves are puffed and lightly golden, about 35 minutes. Brush with beaten egg and continue baking until deep golden brown and an instant read thermometer inserted into center reads 205 degrees, 5 to 10 minutes more. Let cool in pans 5 minutes, then unmold onto a wire rack and let cool completely before serving.