A major emerging trend for restaurants in 2019 is offering artisan breads made in-house. Our ranges of speciality flour provide the perfect head start.
It might be as old as farming itself, but bread and bread making has just had a whole page devoted to it in Facebook’s 2019 Topics & Trends Report. Bread, it appears, is back, although for many of us the simple pleasure of this carbohydrate-rich confection, never left.
Nevertheless, Facebook credits the latest bread trend to a surge in food start-ups embracing baking, a rise in restaurants once again making bread in-house and, as the report states; ‘alternative flours seeing a rise in interest, as people have become more interested in spelt, rice flour, popular earlier this year, and even ancient grains, such as einkorn wheat.’
BREAD OF HEAVEN
The flavour, texture and scent of fresh-baked breads are undeniably seductive, and as with in-house charcuterie, there’s an added value element - that extra air of care and competency that bread, beautifully baked in-house, brings to the table.
On paper, bread making is an easy enough equation; combine flour, water, salt, yeast, and add some time. However, it’s a lack of that final ingredient, time, that has often proved decisive in deterring chefs from baking their own in busy commercial kitchens.
So if you’re going to take the time to bake, you need make something that’s going to be as memorable as your signature dishes, which is where Maws comprehensive range of speciality flours can help - by transforming the humble filler before the first course into a culinary tour-de-force.
SPELT CORRECTLY
As ancient grains go, spelt is one of the oldest, and is thought to have originated as a naturally occurring hybrid of early, domesticated wheat with the surrounding wild goat grass. It’s been cultivated since the Bronze Age and relied on as staple by Greeks, Romans and medieval societies throughout Europe and Central Asia.
For many, baking spelt bread is the antidote to the protracted process of making a sourdough loaf. Spelt bread makes a study, wholesome loaf with a satisfyingly chewy crust (yet without the density of rye bread), and the Wholemeal Spelt Flour we supply is perfect for the task.
Spelt bread proves very quickly compared to normal strong white, wholemeal, or rye bread flour, you can get away with leaving a loaf to prove for 20-30mins. Try baking in a covered container (such as a large casserole), as leaving the lid on for the first 20mins will help develop that ideal crisp yet chewy crust.
RYE NOT?
If you had to identify two elements that have done most to kick-start the interest in artisanal baking, many would probably think of the resurgence of rye bread and the sourdough loaf. With that in mind, it would be foolish not to consider seducing artisanal bread lovers with their ideal hybrid; a rye sourdough.
The T130 Medium Rye Flour we stock is just right for this bake. Not too heavy (as some traditional dark rye breads can be) but with just the right amount of bran and husk. When used in a sourdough this flour delivers a smooth crumb and crunchy crust to a loaf with a milder version of the signature sour tang. This is bread for everyone to love, and it’s hard to think of a better accompaniment to a hearty bowl of soup.
BUCK THE TREND
A big prediction for commercial baking in 2019 is the rise (no pun intended) of buckwheat, not simply for its bold, nutty flavour but because, despite its name, buckwheat is not actually wheat. Being a seed rather than a grain, means buckwheat is gluten-free and therefore safe for people with celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity.
Not too long ago, gluten-free bread looked and tasted more like a sliced rectangle of pulp from the paper mill – these days, super-ingredients such as the Organic Buckwheat Flour sourced by Maws, are changing gluten-free baking beyond recognition. Add some chia and flax seeds to your dough, and you’ll have a flavourful loaf packed with fibre, vitamins and minerals, that’s gluten-free and vegan-friendly. How many more boxes do you want to tick?
Maws supply: Wholemeal Spelt Flour by Dossche Mills in 25kg sacks, T130 Medium Rye Siegle Flour in 25kg sacks and Organic Buckwheat Flour in 1kg bags.
