Re: British bread rolls - taxonomy

Peter Flynn wrote:

> On 29/04/2023 22:50, cshenk wrote:
> > Graham wrote:
> > 
> > > On 2021-08-28 7:20 a.m., Peter Flynn wrote:
> > > > On 25/08/2021 17:25, Graham wrote:
> > > > > A long but interesting article:
> > > > > https://tinyurl.com/283adc2m
> > > > 
> > > > I just looked at the banner image and I don't recognize most of
> > > > them even though I spent my early life in the UK. I suspect
> > > > lots of them are regional, but I'll settle down and read the
> > > > article.
> > > > 
> > > > Graham, what is the name of that bread roll I used to come
> > > > across a lot in the midlands in the 60s and 70s, and again in
> > > > London in the 70s and 80s, round, domed, basically all crust
> > > > and hollow inside?  looking nice but a tasteless swindle of an
> > > > empty roll.
> > > > 
> > > I don't know! I hated them too. The "dough buns" that the 2
> > > bakeries in my home village made were essentially small baps. The
> > > crusts were soft. The bakers would never have got away with those
> > > hollow monstrosities!
> > > 
> > > > We have a different set of breads in Ireland, many with local
> > > > names, but one that seems to be making headway elsewhere after
> > > > getting its AOC, the Waterford Blaa, which is like a bap but
> > > > round not square, getting its name from a corruption of the
> > > > French "blanc" (white) in reference to the finer flour used at
> > > > a time when common flour was brown.
> > > > 
> > > > Thanks for posting this
> > > 
> > > I like to help keep the group alive!
> > > I remember buying soda bread rolls when I was doing field work in
> > > Cork Harbour and other places along the south coast including Hook
> > > Head.
> > 
> > Hi Graham, old messages but just rejoined.  Would the hollow bread
> > be related to bread bowls for soup back then?
> 
> Not as far as I know. I think bread bowls for soup are an American
> thing; at least, they were unknown in the UK Midlands in the 60s.
> These were only the size of a large dinner roll, so hardly big enough
> for more than a couple of spoons of soup, and the walls were so think
> that sup would leak through them in seconds.
> 
> Peter

Well it was a thought!

Meantime, I have my weekly bread cooling on the bakers rack.

If you look waay back, you'd see me a decade ago posting here.  I'm not
the fancy level of Graham, but got inspired to learn how to do boule's
in a cast iron dutch oven.  Mostly though I do freeform breads, in
loaves or rounds, smaller buns or baguettes.

I have spinal issues that sadly, are progressive.  To make it work with
my limited standing, lifting, and arm/hand strength, I use a bread
machine to make the dough.

To set the scene, I like the taste of Spelt.  My flour mix is 20% spelt
and 80% 'bread flour' (a higher protein than USA 'All Purpose' AP
flour).

I tend to use buttermilk as it retards mold and seems to assist with
rise.

1 1/3 c buttermilk
1/3 c water
2 TB butter
4 c flour mix (fluffed wiith spoon then measured that way to cup)
2 TB sugar
2 ts salt
2 ts yeast (instant dry sort, many names)

Run in dough mode which takes 1.5 hours.  Remove and shape then rise
for 1-1.5 hours, bake in preheated oven at 400F for 17 minutes (then
check).

Cool on bakers rack before slicing.

   Carol, Virginia Beach, Virginia