Golden Semolina Bread Recipes

Steps:

• Make the starter: In a medium bowl, whisk together durum flour and yeast; then whisk in water and stir until very smooth for 2 mins; scrape down the sides of the bowl and cover with clingwrap.
• Combine the 1/4 cup of durum flour and the 3/8 tsp of yeast, then whisk in the salt.
• Gently scoop it onto the sponge to completely cover it, cover with clingwrap and allow to ferment for 1-4 hours at room temp (up to 24hrs in the fridge, remove from fridge 1 hr before mixing the dough).
• Mix the bubbly starter together with flour mixture (covering the top of starter) using a wooden spoon until all flour is moistened.
• Knead the dough in the bowl until it comes together, then scrape it onto a surface floured with some of the remaining durum flour and knead for about 5 minutes.
• Add more reserved durum flour as needed to keep dough from sticking (use a bench scraper to scrape and gather the dough as you knead).
• The dough will be slightly tacky and cling slightly to your fingers; cover it with the inverted bowl and allow to rest for 20mins.
• Knead dough for another 5 mins until it is smooth and elastic, adding more reserved durum flour if necessary.
• It's ok if dough is still slightly tacky, but you should be able to form a ball and holds its shape.
• Let the dough rise in a lightly oiled bowl, covered with clingwrap, until doubled in bulk 1 1/2- 2 hours.
• Turn the dough out onto lightly floured counter and shape it into a torpedo-shaped loaf (or regular loaf), set it into a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Cover it loosely with oiled clingwrap and let rise again until doubled in bulk (1 hr- 1 hr 15 mins); when the dough is ready to be baked, a fingertip-depression will very slowly fill inches.
• One hour before baking, preheat oven to 450F, with a cast-iron skillet or sheet pan on the floor of the oven.
• Make a few 1/4-1/2 inch deep slashes in the top of the dough with a sharp knife.
• Mist the dough with water and quickly set the baking pan on the hot stone/sheet pan; toss 1/2 cup of ice cubes into the pan beneath and immediately shut the oven door.
• Bake for 20mins, lower the temp to 400F and continue baking for another 10-20mins, until bread is golden brown (skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean or instant read thermometer read 208F).
• For crispier crust, lift the bread from the pan with a heavy pancake turner about halfway through baking and set into directly on the baking stone.
• When the bread is done, cool completely on wire racks.

Steps:

• For the soda bread: Put the raisins in a bowl and cover with hot water. Set aside until softened, about 30 minutes. Drain and pat dry.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Sift the all-purpose, cake and semolina flours, and the baking soda, cream of tartar and salt into a large bowl; stir in the sugar. Cut the 3 tablespoons butter into the flour until it resembles a coarse meal. Stir in the fennel seeds and the soaked raisins.
• In a small bowl, stir the orange zest into the buttermilk, and then add to the flour mixture, stirring with a fork just until a dough comes together. Turn the dough onto a work surface and knead briefly until the loose flour is just moistened; the dough should look shaggy and uneven.
• Form the dough into a 6-inch round and place in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet. Using a very sharp knife, score a deep cross into the top of the loaf. Bake until nicely browned and a skewer inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven and brush with the 2 tablespoons melted butter. Cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
• While the bread bakes, make the buttermilk-orange butter: Whisk together the buttermilk and orange zest in a small bowl. Put the butter and salt in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until smooth. Slowly pour in the buttermilk mixture and continue beating until just incorporated. Spread into a ramekin, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours to allow the flavors to meld.
• Serve slices of warm or toasted semolina soda bread with the orange butter.