2.

BOULANGERIE

[boo-lanzhuh-ree] a bakery that specialises in baking and selling bread. Masculine boulanger (plural boulangers, feminine boulangère)

Months before we opened the doors to JAN, it was already decided that we would bake our own bread. Throughout the storms that waged in the lead-up to opening day, I would calm myself by imagining patrons sitting down to the alluring aroma of our freshly baked bread.

In my mind’s eye I could see them sipping wine and breaking off pieces of warm, light bread with a perfectly crisp crust, slathering it in a thick layer of salted butter or using it to mop up a silky sauce.

For me, the smell of fresh bread is the smell of life and love. It’s in the touch of the dough and the warm, yeasty smell that wafts from the oven when you open it to reveal perfectly raised loaves, just waiting to be glazed or lovingly dusted in flour.

I still remember the day a French boulanger spoke to me about his craft. He spoke with such passion and enthusiasm, his great hands flying about like a conductor’s, scattering leftover flour that gently sifted down in the rays of sunlight coming in through a small window in the bakery. From his mouth the specifics of baking – the types of flour, yeast and pre-ferments – sounded like an incantation.

It is this boulanger who told me that when he touches the dough to shape it into his pans, he always gets the feeling that, despite all the bad in the world, everything will be okay. I tend to agree.

BAKE BREAD LIKE THE FRENCH

What’s the secret?

A pre-ferment is the secret that gives bread its stellar flavour. It is a basic mixture of flour, water and yeast that is left to stand for hours, and is then added to the remaining flour, resulting in the perfect loaf of bread.

I get put off when I read a recipe that takes hours to make, but when it comes to bread there is no real shortcut. And the hours are worth every crumb! Make your own pre-ferment and feed it regularly. There are two basic types we use: a levain for the sourdough breads and a poolish for the baguettes.

Boulangeries also have the privilege of using convection steam ovens. This allows the bread to steam so that it rises fully before a crust forms. To create your own steam, heat a skillet in the bottom of your oven and add ice cubes when you put the bread into the oven. Be careful not to burn yourself as the steam can be vigorous.

LEVAIN

• 250 g strong flour or bread flour
• 250 ml water

1. Combine the flour and water with a fork in a plastic container. Cover with plastic wrap and make holes in the plastic. Let it sit for 24 hours in a warm place in your kitchen (at JAN we put it on our pastry fridge).
2. Now feed the levain on a daily basis (twice if possible) by making a new batch of flour and water mix (same as above), then add 150 g of the old mixture to the new one. Mix well and allow to rest for 12 hours before repeating the process.
3. Feeding the levain regularly means that you will throw away a lot of the starter, but there’s unfortunately no other way until you have reached the right consistency and the levain forms little bubbles. Don’t throw the extra levain down the drain, as gluten is not water-soluble. Rather dispose of it in the garbage can. After 2–3 days of feeding, the leftover levain will get used in your daily bread preparation. It does sound a bit complicated, but the moment you’re into it, it’s kind of addictive!

STIFF LEVAIN

• 350 g strong flour or bread flour
• 170 ml water
• 30 g levain (see left)

1. Mix all the ingredients together, cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rest for at least 12 hours before using.

POOLISH

• 150 g flour
• Pinch instant yeast
• 150 ml lukewarm water (at 25 °C)

1. Combine the flour and yeast in a bowl and mix well with your fingers. Add the water and combine – the dough should be runny. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rest at room temperature for about 12 hours. Bubbles will form and a thin crust will indicate when it’s ready to use.

BAGUETTES

Makes: 4

Difficulty: Little effort

Prep time: 25 min + 2 hr 45 min proving (excl making the poolish in advance)

Baking time: 25–30 min

INGREDIENTS

• 1 batch Poolish (see page 18)
• 400 g strong flour or white bread flour, plus extra
• 1 sachet (10 g) instant dry yeast
• 260 ml lukewarm water
• 5 ml fine sea salt

METHOD

1. Prepare the poolish in advance. Place the flour and yeast in a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Mix the yeast until combined with the flour. Add the poolish and water to the flour and yeast and mix on a low speed for 5 minutes until the dough is hydrated. Scrape down the sides twice during this process. Sprinkle the salt on top and mix for another 20 minutes on low speed. The dough will not be firm and will not form a ball; it should be sticky and slack.
2. Place the dough into a bowl sprayed with nonstick spray, cover and allow to rest for 1 hour. Gently remove from the bowl and place on a lightly floured surface. The dough will be very sticky. Sticking to your fingers is a good sign. Stretch the dough upwards and outwards and fold it in two-thirds, then stretch it to the opposite side. Repeat one more time, then gently lift with a dough scraper and place into the bowl to rest for another 1 hour.
3. Repeat the stretch process once more and then rest the dough for the last hour before scraping it onto a floured work surface to cut. Divide the dough into four equal portions and form long shapes. Roll gently with your hands, keeping the seam of the bread at the bottom. The best way to bake the bread is to place it on baker’s linen to retain the baguette shape, but you can also use silicone baking sheets. Cover the baguettes with a cloth and allow to prove for about 45 minutes in a warm place.
4. Preheat the oven to 210 °C and place a skillet in the bottom of the oven. Score the baguettes with a razor – don’t cut too deep – then transfer to the oven. Immediately place a few ice cubes in the skillet and close the door. Bake for 25–30 minutes until the bread feels lighter than you expect for the size.

CAPE SEED LOAF

The kitchen in Stellenbosch, where I worked as a waiter while studying to be a chef, did a Cape seed loaf to utmost perfection. They were pretty famous for it and I remember how the guests kept asking for more, even wanting to take it home with them. After reworking the recipe, I’ve found a combination that is both crunchy and soft, very much the way I remember the bread as a student. At JAN, if there are any loaves left over after service, they are wrapped up in brown paper bags for the last few tables to take home or they go home with me to enjoy as a midnight snack.

Makes: 5 loaves

Difficulty: Easy

Prep time: 20 min + 30 min proving

Baking time: 20–25 min

INGREDIENTS

• 30 ml sugar
• 21⁄2 sachets (10 g each) instant dry yeast
• 760 ml lukewarm water
• 900 g strong flour or white bread flour
• 430 g wholewheat flour
• 110 g flax seeds
• 55 g sesame seeds
• 60 ml poppy seeds
• 110 g honey
• 90 ml olive oil
• 30 ml fine sea salt

METHOD

1. Place the sugar and the yeast in a bowl and add the water. Set aside for about 10 minutes until bubbles start to form.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, add the flours and seeds, and mix on a low speed until well combined. Add the yeast mixture, honey and oil and mix for another 10 minutes until the dough starts coming together. Add the salt and continue mixing for another 10 minutes. The dough will be soft and slightly wet.
3. Grease five 26 cm × 7 cm loaf tins with nonstick spray. Transfer the dough onto a work surface lightly dusted with flour and flatten to form a square. Cut the dough into equal strips and place gently in the loaf tins. Make sure there are no folds, but if there are, make sure they are tucked underneath. Place in a warm area to prove for 20–30 minutes. Don’t overprove as the bread will be too light – I like the little bit of density.
4. Preheat the oven to 200 °C and bake for 20–25 minutes, or until golden brown. Immediately remove the loaves from the tins (otherwise they will sweat) and place on a cooling rack. (We cover ours with linen cloths so that they are still slightly warm when served.)

FRENCH WHITE BREAD

Served fresh or toasted with our cheese board, this classic is a staple in JAN’s kitchen. To make the perfect melba toast, freeze and slice the loaf with a mandoline before toasting.

Makes: 2 loaves

Difficulty: Medium

Prep time: 30 min + 3 hr proving (excl making the levain in advance)

Baking time: 20–25 min

INGREDIENTS

• 12.5 ml active dry yeast
• 180 ml lukewarm water
• Pinch sugar, plus extra 5 ml
• 110 g levain (see page 18)
• 500 g strong flour or white bread flour
• 1 ml bicarbonate of soda
• 5 ml fine sea salt

METHOD

1. Use a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment. Using the mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in the water. Add the pinch of sugar to enhance the activation process. Allow to stand for 10 minutes.
2. Add the levain, the 5 ml sugar and the flour and mix on a low speed for 10–15 minutes. Cover the bowl with a cloth and let the dough rise for 1–11⁄2 hours. Mix again on low speed for 10 minutes and add the bicarbonate of soda and salt. The dough should be soft in texture and form a ball. If the texture is still sticky, add a little bit of flour. Shape the dough into a ball on a floured surface and let it rest for 10 minutes.
3. Form two loaves and place on a greased baking tray. Dust lightly with flour and score the dough vertically with a razor blade. Let them prove for 11⁄2 hours.
4. Preheat the oven to 200 °C and bake for 20–25 minutes, or until light brown.

PAIN RUSTIQUE

A sweet perfumed crumb and a lovely caramelised crust. Rye flour mixed with white flour results in a rustic texture that is still soft to the touch. This bread is not baked in a tin so can be shaped into whatever form your heart desires.

Makes: 2 loaves

Difficulty: Medium

Prep time: 20 min + 31⁄2 hr proving (excl making the levain in advance)

Baking time: 30–45 min

INGREDIENTS

• 160 g levain (see page 18)
• 275 ml lukewarm water
• 300 g strong flour or white bread flour
• 75 g light rye flour
• 5 ml fine sea salt

METHOD

1. Dissolve the levain in 180 ml of the water in a mixing bowl.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment and sprayed with nonstick spray, add the flours and mix on low speed until combined. Add the levain mixture and continue mixing until you get a texture of wet flour coming together. Cover the bowl and let it stand for 20–30 minutes.
3. After the resting period, add the salt and the rest of the water and mix for 10 minutes on low speed. Transfer the dough to a greased bowl and cover lightly with plastic wrap. Set aside for about 1 hour.
4. Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and start the stretch process similar to the baguette recipe (see page 20). Stretch the dough upwards and outwards and fold it in two-thirds. Then stretch it to the opposite side. Rest the dough for 30–40 minutes. Repeat one more time, then gently lift with a dough scraper and place into the bowl to rest for another 1 hour.
5. After the final rest you need to shape the dough into a bâtard or other loaf shape, using light dustings of flour to help you shape the bread. Fold any pleats underneath to get a smooth top. Using a razor blade, score the bread with a few cuts and place on a lightly floured baking tray. Allow to prove, lightly covered, in a warm place for 1–11⁄2 hours.
6. Preheat the oven to 230 °C and place a skillet in the bottom of the oven. Transfer the loaves to the oven. Immediately place a few ice cubes in the skillet and close the door. Bake for 30–45 minutes until the bread has a golden crust.

PAIN DE MIE

We all grew up with a slice of soft white bread with a crumb. Pain de mie literally means soft bread with a crumb and is similar to the ones you can buy at the supermarket. However, to make your own makes you feel much less guilty when enjoying it piled with fresh tomatoes, cheese and thinly sliced onion. Actually, why should we feel guilty? At JAN we make pain de mie only on special occasions – perhaps when there is too much levain or if there is time to add a loaf or two to the rest of the bread in the oven.

Makes: 2 loaves

Difficulty: Medium

Prep time: 45 min + 3–4 hr proving

Cooking time: 20–25 min

INGREDIENTS

• 7.5 ml instant dry yeast
• 550 g all-purpose flour
• 20 ml sugar
• 7.5 ml fine sea salt
• 280 g lukewarm water
• 1 medium-sized egg, beaten
• 30 ml unsalted butter, melted
• 80 g cream cheese

METHOD

1. Spray the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, as well as two loaf tins, with nonstick spray.
2. Place the yeast and flour in the bowl and mix on low for a few minutes. Combine the sugar, salt, water, egg and butter and mix for a further 10 minutes. Add the cream cheese and mix for 20 minutes. Cover with a cloth and allow to rest for 15 minutes.
3. Turn out the dough onto a floured work surface. Flatten the dough and stretch the points towards each other and then flatten again. Repeat twice. Cover and allow to rest for another 15 minutes.
4. Flatten the dough into a rectangular shape, adding flour to prevent it from sticking to the surface. Cut the dough into two 500 g portions. Shape the dough as much as possible into the shape of the pan. Place the dough gently in the pans and cover to proof for 2–3 hours.
5. Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Bake for 20–25 minutes on the lower rack of the oven – a proper pain de mie loaf tin has a lid, so use it if you have one (but it’s also okay to bake it without a lid). Test the bread with a needle, which should come out clean when the bread is baked.

PRETZELS WITH KALAHARI DESERT SALT

A common story tells us that these soft, salty strips of dough, folded in the shape of a child in prayer, originated around AD 610 by an Italian monk. Other similar stories star a monk from France and bakers held hostage in Germany. Whatever the origin, these knots never fail to please. This recipe calls for sodium hydroxide, which gives the pretzel its hard skin and terrific colour. It can be obtained from your local hardware store and is often used for making soap. When shopping, look for food grade lye; alternatively, you can use bicarbonate of soda or egg wash but it won’t give the same crust and flavour. Wear latex gloves and work on sheets cut from large garbage bags.

Makes: 20 medium-sized pretzels

Difficulty: Little effort

Prep time: 15 min + overnight proving (excl making the levain in advance)

Baking time: 25 min

INGREDIENTS

Levain Starter

• 1 batch stiff levain (see page 18)

Pretzels

• 950 g strong flour or bread flour
• 1 sachet (10 g) instant dry yeast
• 30 ml fine sea salt
• 490 ml lukewarm water
• 120 g butter, melted

Dipping liquid

• 30 ml sodium hydroxide (lye)
• 500 ml water

• Kalahari Desert salt or Maldon salt (half a pinch per pretzel)

METHOD

1. Spray the bowl of a stand mixer with nonstick spray. Combine the flour, yeast and salt in the bowl and mix briefly on the lowest setting. Add the stiff levain, water and butter and mix for 5 minutes. Mix for another 25 minutes until a soft dough forms. Turn out onto a work surface lightly dusted with flour, then stretch the dough by pulling all the points away and then back towards the centre. Fold the dough in half and repeat the stretching process. Cover with plastic wrap and let it stand for 15 minutes.
2. Place the dough onto the floured work surface again and add more flour to prevent it from sticking. Divide the dough into small balls and roll them with both hands into a breadstick shape. Now fold the two points downwards making a circle shape and then take the points back up, crossing each other, and press down on the top part of the circle. Arrange about six pretzels per baking tray and refrigerate, uncovered, for 2 hours until they form a skin.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the dipping liquid by carefully adding the sodium hydroxide to the water (NB: always add the lye to the water, never the other way around) and stir with a spoon in a big stainless-steel bowl until the crystals have dissolved. Wearing gloves, dip the pretzels one by one into the mixture and let them soak for about 10 seconds. Shake off the excess liquid carefully and place the pretzels back on the baking tray – do not let them touch.
4. Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Sprinkle the pretzels with Kalahari or Maldon salt and bake for 25 minutes, or until golden in colour. Cool on a rack before serving.

MOSBOLLETJIES

The French locals love this South African bread; it is probably because of the similarity to brioche, to which mosbolletjies owe a small part of their deliciousness. We bake ours in individual copper cups, which I originally bought as cocktail cups for making a Russian mule. So between the French, South Africans and the Russians, we love to watch our guests gently break open the warm mosbolletjie on its seam and dip it into a lemony olive oil from the neighbouring village of Menton.

Makes: 7 ‘cups’ or 2 loaves

Difficulty: Medium

Prep time: 30 min + 1 hr proving

Baking time: 25–30 min

INGREDIENTS

• 1 kg all-purpose flour
• 80 g sugar
• 11⁄2 sachets (10 g each) instant dry yeast
• 30 ml whole aniseeds
• 300 ml white grape juice
• 220 g butter
• 100 ml lukewarm milk
• 250 ml lukewarm water
• 15 ml fine sea salt
• Apricot jam for brushing

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Grease two loaf tins measuring 26 cm × 7 cm or individual tin cups with nonstick spray or melted butter.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, add the flour, sugar, yeast and aniseed, and mix on a low speed until well combined.
3. Warm the grape juice and stir in the butter until melted. Add this to the flour mixture along with the warm milk and water. Mix on a medium speed for 10 minutes until the dough comes together. Add the salt and mix for another 10 minutes. Remove the dough and place into a greased bowl. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and allow to stand for 20–30 minutes in a warm place until the dough has almost doubled in size.
4. Knock down the dough, pinch off pieces and shape into balls by pressing and pulling the dough through a circle formed by your other thumb and forefinger. We spray our hands lightly with nonstick spray to prevent the dough from sticking. Squeeze in three balls per cup (or pack the balls tightly into the loaf tin/s).
5. Place the cups in a warm area to prove for 20–30 minutes (this might take longer depending on the temperature). Make sure the mosbolletjies are well proved, as this will without a doubt affect the soft texture.
6. Preheat the oven to 180 °C and bake for 30 minutes, or until light brown. Remove immediately from the tin cups, otherwise they will sweat. Melt the apricot jam and brush over the heads of the mosbolletjies. To serve, place back into the cups after they have cooled completely.

PAIN AU CHOCOLAT

We don’t serve this at JAN, but we do get the best chocolate croissants just around the corner. Lucky us! I used to make these on our farm in South Africa and they were delicous with a cup of moer koffie (coffee made with ground coffee beans). Some prefer a thin slice of chocolate whereas I go for a big chunk – good quality bien sûr (of course)!

Makes: 24 croissants

Difficulty: Little effort

Prep time: 40 min + 4 hr chilling and proving

Baking time: 15–20 min

INGREDIENTS

• 6 ml active dry yeast
• 45 ml lukewarm water
• 15 ml castor sugar
• 250 g all-purpose flour
• 7.5 ml fine sea salt
• 160 ml warm milk
• 30 ml vegetable oil
• 370 g butter
• 230 g dark chocolate, chopped (70% cocoa)
• 1 medium-sized egg

METHOD

1. Combine the yeast, warm water and 5 ml of the castor sugar in a bowl and allow to stand until creamy and frothy.
2. Measure the flour into a mixing bowl. Dissolve the remaining 10 ml castor sugar and the salt in the warm milk, then mix into the flour with the yeast mixture and oil. Mix well for about 5 minutes, then knead until smooth. Cover and leave to prove until tripled in volume. Gently press down and then let it rise again until doubled in volume. Press down once more and then refrigerate for 20 minutes.
3. Remove the butter from the fridge and allow to reach near room temperature, just enough so that it can be flattened out into a rough rectangle of 60 cm × 30 cm.
4. Roll out the dough into a large rectangle. Place the butter on top of the dough, making sure it covers two-thirds of it. Then fold the third that is not covered with the butter over the butter-covered dough. A third of the butter-covered dough will be exposed. Fold that back onto the dough, layering the dough and the butter. Roll out the butter and dough layers carefully with a rolling pin to compress them. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
5. Repeat the folding and chilling process twice more. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a couple of hours, or overnight.
6. Roll out the chilled dough into a large rectangle about 1 cm thick. Cut the dough into 12 cm squares using a sharp knife. Cut each square diagonally to create two triangles. Arrange a row of roughly cut chocolate along the long edge of each triangle and roll up the dough to form a sausage shape.
7. Place the pain au chocolat on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper. Cover with sprayed plastic wrap and leave for 1 hour to prove until puffed up and light.
8. In a small bowl, beat together the egg and 15 ml water. Glaze the croissants with the egg wash.
9. Preheat the oven to 220 °C and bake for 15–20 minutes until risen and golden brown. Serve lukewarm.