Red Fife Wheat Flavoured Bread and the Trappist Monk

Once there was a little Trappist Monk who was asked to learn the art of baking bread from the Abbey Baker. Twice a week he would bake the white and brown loaves for the monks.

The years passed and Brother kept baking bread. The weekly round was a time for him to be alone and watch God’s Miracle of rising bread. Then a time came when this was taken from him. By his own wanderlust he left the beautiful world of the loaf.

In exile, he made a new life for himself, erring here and wandering there. But always there was a lingering nostalgia for baking bread. But there was no time no incentive.

Then recently, the Monk found his centre again. He returned to those principles which motivated him. And a book, the Tassajara Bread Book returned to him. This book had been his garden of beauty and inspiration.

Suddenly, he found himself feeling the atmosphere he lived in long ago. He had renewed his youth, and the desire to bake beautiful bread returned. Since then, he has been trying many ways of baking and reading wonderful books on the subject.

Joy has returned to his life, and the Spiritual journey he was on resumed, and peace has filled his heart! And the life he lived so long ago has resumed in the simplicity of his life in the city. And twice a week beautiful loaves appear in his kitchen, and the friends and neighbours often rejoice in the gift of his labour!

Pax et Bonum,
Rod

Red Fife Wheat-Flavoured Bread

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• Author: Rod F. from Brandon Manitoba Canada
• Yield: 2 Loaves 1x

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Description

This Red Fife Wheat-Flavoured Bread is delicious and hearty; yet it makes the most delightful sandwich bread.

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Ingredients

Units MUS Scale 1x2x3x

Sponge:

• 198g Red Fife Wheat
• 199g White All Purpose Flour unbleached
• 60 g Honey
• 450 g Water
• 2 1/4 tsp Instant Yeast

Dough:

• 397 g White All Purpose Flour unbleached
• 1/2 tsp ground Ginger
• 17 g sea salt
• 1tsp Diatastic Malt
• 60 g Lard softened

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Instructions

1. To make the Sponge, dissolve honey in warm side of Room Temp water in a mixer bowl. Reserve about ¼ cup of the water and dissolve the salt into it and set aside. Blend yeast and flour together and add all at once to water into the mixer bowl.
2. With the flat paddle blend all together then turn you mixer up to 5 or 6 and beat sponge for two minutes. Then cover and let stand for 45 mins.
3. Blend the Ginger and Diastatic Malt to the Flour.
4. After 45 mins, add the blended dry ingredients and the Lard to the Sponge. With the dough hook, mix the dough together and when all is incorporated let the dough sit quiet for 10-20 mins to autolyze. Then add reserved salted water and stir in with a low setting. Then, knead for 8 mins at 5 or 4 for 8 mins.
5. Turn the dough out and carefully make into a round. Let the Round rise for about an hour to an hour and a half till doubled.
6. Then cut in half and gently make two balls. Let sit for 5 mins covered with a damp towel.
7. While the dough rises, Place a baking stone in the middle rack of the oven and turn oven on to 425° F.
8. When it’s time to form loaves, cut the dough in half and gently make two balls. Let sit for 5 mins covered with a damp towel.
9. Flatten each ball out and form into Sandwich style loaves and place in regular bread pans cover and let rise for one hour.
10. When ready to bake: Slash the loaves down the middle and place in oven. With a spray bottle spray the loaves every 30 seconds. Do this three times, after the last time lower the temperature to 350° F and bake for 45-50 minutes.
11. Place loaves on a cooling rack and baste the tops with butter.
12. Let the loaves cool for two hours before storing.

Notes

Recently I came across a bin of Red Fife flour at our local Bulk Store. This is a real Canadian Heritage Wheat. It was first brought to Canada and grown in Nova Scotia in 1842. It is delicious and hearty and yet makes the most delightful sandwich bread.

• Category: Sandwich Bread

This story and bread recipe was submitted by Rod F. from Manitoba, Canada. Rod has been a faithful follower of the Bread Experience for a number of years and has contributed several recipes. When asked if he wanted to provide any background information to go with his most recent submission, he replied with this lovely story about the Trappist Monk.  I want to thank Rod for sharing his story and the delicious sandwich bread recipe.  I hope you enjoy the tale and his Red Fife Wheat Flavoured Bread.

Happy Baking!

Cathy