Stuffed Cottage Bread Loaf Recipes

PAUL HOLLYWOOD'S CLASSIC COTTAGE LOAF

Steps:

• Tip the flour into a large bowl and add the yeast to one side and the salt to the other. Add the lard and pour in about 225-250ml of water. Mix using one hand, then add a further 75-100ml of water (you may not need it all, or you may need a little more), a little at a time, until all the flour is incorporated and the dough is soft but not soggy.
• Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 5-10 minutes, until it is smooth and silky.
• Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise until doubled in size. This will take at least 1 hour and can take 2-3 hours, or longer, depending on the room temperature.
• Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and fold it inwards repeatedly to knock out the air and ensure that it rises upwards, rather than outwards. This is especially important in a freestanding loaf without a tin to support it.
• Tear off one third of the dough and set aside. Shape the larger piece into a ball by first flattening the dough into a rough rectangle, then rolling it into a thick oblong. Turn the dough so that the longer edge is running away from you and flatten it slightly. Now fold in the two ends to the centre and press them down, so you end up with a chunky, squarish shape. Turn the dough over, so that the join is underneath.
• With your palms turned upwards, put your hands on each side, slightly under the dough. Move the cob around, tucking the dough neatly under itself as it turns. You are gently forcing the sides of the dough down and underneath, to create a smooth, taut top and a rough underside. Avoid using too much extra flour during shaping. Place the ball of dough on the prepared baking tray.
• Repeat the rolling and shaping for the smaller piece of dough, then place the smaller ball on top of the larger ball. Flatten the top slightly, then dust your middle finger and forefinger with flour and push them through the centre of the loaf all the way to the bottom. Use a sharp knife to make 8 slashes in the surface of both the top and larger lower part of the loaf.
• Place the tray inside a large, clean plastic bag and leave to prove for 1 hour, or until well risen, and springy when prodded. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 230°C/210°C fan/450°F/Gas 8 and put a roasting tray in the bottom of the oven to heat up.
• Remove the risen loaf from the bag and dust with flour. Fill the roasting tray with cold water to create steam and put the bread in the oven. Bake for 15 minutes, then lower the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/375°F/Gas 5 and bake for a further 20-25 minutes, until crusty, golden brown and the base sounds hollow when tapped. (If not, put it back into the oven for another 5 minutes.)
• Transfer the baked loaf to a wire rack to cool.

BRITISH COTTAGE LOAF

Steps:

• Add the flour into a large bowl and add the yeast on one side and the salt on the other. Add the softened butter pieces and pour in about 1 cup of lukewarm water. Mix using one hand, then add a further 1/3 of water (you may not need it all, or you may need a little more), a little at a time, until all the flour is incorporated and the dough is soft but not soggy.
• Pour the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 5-10 minutes, until it is smooth and silky.
• Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise until doubled in size. This will take at least 1 hour and can take 2-3 hours, or longer, depending on the room temperature.
• Remove the dough onto a lightly floured surface and fold it inwards repeatedly to knock out the air and ensure that it rises upwards, rather than outwards. This is especially important in a freestanding loaf without a tin to support it.
• Tear off one third of the dough and set aside. Shape the larger piece into a ball by first flattening the dough into a rough rectangle, then rolling it into a thick oblong. Turn the dough so that the longer edge is running away from you and flatten it slightly. Now fold in the two ends to the centre and press them down, so you end up with a chunky, squarish shape. Turn the dough over, so that the join is underneath.
• With your palms turned upwards, put your hands on each side, slightly under the dough. Move the cob around, tucking the dough neatly under itself as it turns. You are gently forcing the sides of the dough down and underneath, to create a smooth, taut top and a rough underside. Avoid using too much extra flour during shaping. Place the ball of dough on the prepared baking tray.
• Repeat the rolling and shaping for the smaller piece of dough, then place the smaller ball on top of the larger ball. Flatten the top slightly, then dust your middle finger and forefinger with flour and push them through the centre of the loaf all the way to the bottom. Use a sharp knife to make 8 slashes in the surface of both the top and larger lower part of the loaf.
• Place the tray inside a large, clean plastic bag and leave to prove for 1 hour, or until well risen, and springy when prodded. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 415°F and put a roasting tray in the bottom of the oven to heat up.
• Remove the risen loaf from the bag and dust with flour. Fill the roasting tray with cold water to create steam and put the bread in the oven. Bake for 15 minutes, then lower the oven to 375°F and bake for a further 20-25 minutes, until crusty, golden brown and the base sounds hollow when tapped. (If not, put it back into the oven for another 5 minutes.)
• Transfer the baked loaf to a wire rack to cool.

RECIPES

Steps:

• Step 1:MIXMix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a big bowl. Using your fingertips rub in the butter until only fine 'crumbs' are left. Mix in the water with a cutlery knife.Step 2:KNEADTip onto a lightly flour dusted surface and knead for 10 minutes (or use the dough hook attachment on your mixer). Step 3:RISELightly grease the mixing bowl with some oil. Put the dough back in, cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and leave to rise until doubled in size.Step 4:SHAPE Knock back the dough by gently kneading just 5 times to get the air out. Separate the dough into one-third and two thirds. Shape each into a round ball. Dust a baking sheet with a little flour, and sit the largest ball on it with the smallest ball sat on top. Flour the handle of a wooden spoon and push it down through the centre of both balls until you hit the tray below. How to shape a cottage loafStep 5:PROVECover the dough with a clean tea towel again and leave to prove until doubled in size again. Preheat your oven to 200°C (fan 180°C, gas mark 6).Step 6:BAKELift the tray onto the middle oven shelf and bake for 30-35 minutes, until when you tap the base of the loaf it sounds hollow. Cool on a wire rack.

STUFFED ITALIAN BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Mix melted butter, parsley, olive oil, and garlic together in a bowl.
• Slice bread diagonally without cutting all the way through; do the same on the opposite diagonal to create cube-shaped sections still attached to the bottom crust.
• Spoon butter mixture carefully between sections; stuff in shredded Italian cheese blend. Wrap loaf in aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes; unwrap and bake until cheese is melted, about 10 minutes more.

STUFFED COTTAGE BREAD LOAF

Steps:

• Brush eggplant with oil and grill both sides of eggplant until lightly browned.
• Heat extra oil in a pan, add onion, garlic and mushrooms; cook 2 minutes.
• Add mince and cayenne and stir over heat until mince is browned.
• Stir in undrained tomatoes and sugar; bring to boil and simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes, until liquid is evaporated and mixture is thick.
• Slice top from loaf of bread, hollow out base of loaf leaving a 2cm shell.
• Press mince mixture into base of loaf, top with mozzarella cheese, olives, sun-dried tomatoes basil and eggplant.
• Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and top with ricotta cheese. Replace top of loaf.
• Wrap loaf firmly in aluminum foil; place on an oven tray and bake in a moderate oven (180d) for about 45 minutes until heated through.

COTTAGE CHEESE BREAD I

Steps:

• Add the ingredients to your bread machine in the order suggested by the manufacturer, and start. You can use up to 1/2 cup more bread flour if the dough seems too sticky.

STUFFED GARLIC-BROCCOLI BREAD LOAF

Steps:

• Set oven to 350°F.
• Cut the loaf in half lengthwise; tear out the soft center of bread in chunks, don't throw away the chunks of bread, (leaving the crust intact).
• Lay the crust SHELLS on a lightly greased cookie sheet.
• In a large skillet, melt butter, stir in the garlic and sesame seeds; cook for 1-2 minutes.
• Stir in the torn bread chunks, and cook until golden brown, and the butter has been absorbed; remove from heat.
• In a very large bowl, combine the sour cream, Jack cheese, Parmesan cheese, parsley and the lemon pepper (if using).
• Stir in the steamed broccoli, and the buttered toasted bread chunks (add in the garlic bits in the frypan too!).
• Toss all together well, and spoon into bread shells.
• Cover loosely with foil, bake for 20 minutes.
• Remove the foil, and continue to bake for another 10 minutes.
• Serve warm-- delicious!