Panera Bread Loaves Recipes

COUNTRY WHITE BREAD - PANERA BREAD RECIPE - (4/5)

Steps:

• Make the starter:. Using the starter ingredients listed above, combine water and yeast in medium bowl. Stir to dissolve yeast. Add flour and stir until thoroughly mixed. Cover with a cloth and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before using in the dough. Make the dough:. Using the dough ingredients listed above, combine the water, honey, and yeast in the bowl of a heavy duty stand mixer. Stir to mix thoroughly. Add shortening, flour, salt, and starter. Mix ingredients on low speed, with the mixer, until the dough is smooth and elastic (this usually takes me about 8 - 10 minutes). To test it for elasticity, pinch off a piece of dough, and stretch it between both thumbs and my fingers into a square. If the center stretches and becomes thin (like a windowpane) it's perfect. If the dough breaks easily instead of stretching, it's not ready yet. When ready, remove dough from mixing bowl. Divide the dough into two halves. Form each into a smooth ball. (You can wrap and freeze one of the loaves at this point.) Place the dough on the counter, or in a proofing basket, and cover with a warm, damp cloth. Rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Form the dough into a loaf shape (free form or use a loaf pan), and cover with a warm, damp cloth. Let rest another 30 minutes. Baking the bread:. Score the loaf (loaves) with a sharp knife. Spritz with some water and place in the pre-heated oven (if making a free form loaf, place on a preheated baking stone). Bake for 30 - 40 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown, and the temperature in the middle of the loaf is about 195ºF. Remove the bread from the oven and from the pan (if using one). Let cool about 30 minutes.

PANERA SOURDOUGH BREAD

Steps:

• For the Sourdough Bread, combine the warm water and fresh yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir to dissolve the yeast fully. Add the Sourdough Starter, flours and salt. (NOTE: If refrigerated, bring Sourdough Starter to room temperature before using.) Mix on low speed until the dough is fully developed. Remove the dough from the mixing bowl. Roll the dough into a smooth ball and place in a medium mixing bowl lightly brushed with olive oil. Cover and refrigerate for 16 hours. Remove the bowl from the refrigerator and ferment at room temperature for 6 hours.
• Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces and form into loaves. Places the loaves on the counter or in a proofing basket and cover with a warm, damp cloth. Proof the loaves at room temperature for 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 400°F Continue proofing the loaves at room temperature for 1 hour.
• Score the loaves with a sharp knife, spray with water and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the crusts are a deep golden brown and the middle of the loaves is 190-200°.
• Remove the bread from the oven and place on a cooling rack for 30 minutes. If the bread was baked in loaf pans, remove the bread from the pans before cooling.
• Note: For more intense sour flavor, extend the refrigeration time of the dough an additional 6 to 8 hours.
• For the Sourdough Starter, Stage 1: Combine the warm water and fresh yeast in a medium mixing bowl. Stir to dissolve the yeast fully. Add the buttermilk, plain yogurt, all-purpose flour and semolina flour to the bowl and stir until the ingredients are fully incorporated. Wrap the unwashed red grapes securely in a clean cheesecloth or small kitchen cloth and submerge the cloth in the mixture. Ferment at room temperature for 12 hours.
• Stage 2: Carefully remove the cloth with the grapes from the mixture, using a spatula to scrape any remaining starter off the cloth and back into the bowl. Squeeze the cloth containing the grapes over the bowl, capturing the juice in the bowl. Discard the cloth and the grapes, and stir the starter until the grape juice is fully incorporated. Add the all-purpose flour and semolina flour to the starter. In a separate bowl, add the yeast to the warm water, stirring until the yeast is fully dissolved, then add this mixture to the starter. Mix the starter until all ingredients are fully incorporated. Ferment at room temperature for 4 hours before using, or cover and place in the refrigerator for future use.

FRENCH LOAVES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add salt, sugar and 2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. , Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. , Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Shape into 12-in.-long loaves., Place seam side down on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. , Preheat oven to 450°. Sprinkle loaves with cornmeal. With a sharp knife, make four shallow slashes across the top of each loaf. Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

PANERA THREE CHEESE BREAD

Steps:

• To create the starter, combine the water and yeast in a medium mixing bowl. Stir to dissolve the yeast fully. Add the flour to the bowl and stir until the ingredients are fully incorporated. Cover with a cloth and ferment the starter at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• For the dough, combine the water, honey and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir to dissolve the yeast fully. Add the shortening, flour, salt, cheeses and fermented starter. Mix on low speed until the dough is fully developed. Remove the dough from the mixing bowl.
• Divide the dough into 2 pieces weighing about 22 ounces each. Set aside any remaining dough and freeze for future use. Roll each piece of dough into a smooth ball. Place the dough on the counter or in a proofing basket and cover with a warm, damp cloth to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Form the dough into loaves, cover with a warm, damp cloth and proof at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Score the loaves with a sharp knife, spray with water and bake for 30 minutes, or until the crusts are a deep golden brown and the middle of the loaves is 190-200°F.
• Remove the bread from the oven and place on a cooling rack for 30 minutes. If the bread was baked in loaf pans, remove the bread from the pans before cooling.