anadama bread

When I was probably around 10 or so there was an amazing bakery located in a building that my Uncle owned, it was about a 10 minute walk or so to the bakery from our House. I remember the Baker/Owner was younger, had a wonky eye and always had on his floured covered white bakers apron when he greeted us. 

The one thing that stands out in this memory was his Anadama Bread- my Mom and I would make special trips to the Bakery just for a loaf of his Anadama. The bread was incredible and to this day nothing compares. My Anadama comes close, but its not the original from my Childhood memories.

Bread making is super simple, don't let the process intimidate you. A little yeast, flour + sugar does the trick, from there you can get super creative with different flour combinations, nuts, seeds + herbs.

Adding a little sugar helps feed the yeast - honey, agave, maple syrup all do the trick. My go to is typically pure maple syrup.

A proofing bowl is not necessary but totally makes you look like a professional baker- they are super cheap and come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

To allow the bread to build a more complex flavor you can totally allow it to rise overnight- if you can't wait that long simply hold off until about double in size.

There are so many methods to achieve the crispy texture of the crust - I like pre heating the oven and baking the bread for about 10 minutes at a high temp then lowering for the remaining baking time or high temp with a pan of cold water added once the bread is placed into the oven creating steam.

This bread is an absolute must- trust me on this.

Annnnnd GUYS, I'm leaving for vacay tomorrow- sooooo excited , look for pics on Instagram + Facbook next week!

For a little history on the name of this New England Bread- read here!

Anadama Bread
makes 1 loaf

you will need:

1 1/2 cups warm water 

1/3 cup molasses

2 1/2 t. instant or rapid rise yeast

2 tbsp maple syrup

1/2 cup cornmeal 

2 3/4 - 3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 tsp salt

assembly:
In a large bowl combine warm water through maple syrup- stir to combine and allow to sit until the yeast is bubbly + frothy.

With a wooden spoon, stir in cornmeal and 2 cups of flour until a shaggy dough ball begins to form. Dump dough onto a well floured surface. A 1/4 cup at a time, knead in remaining flour until a smooth and elastic dough forms.

Place dough ball into a lightly greased bowl- cover and allow to rise in a warm, draft free area until  double in size- about 45 minutes.

Punch down dough and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Shape bread into a round or oblong and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment or proofing bowl. Lightly dust top of loaf with flour + cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise until double in size.

During the second rise, pre heat oven to 425 degrees. Once bread has risen, gently turn dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet if it is not on one already. At this point you can use a sharp knife to slash the top of the loaf.

 Bake for 10 minutes then reduce the oven temp to 350 degrees and continue baking for an additional  15-20 minutes. To check for doneness, turn loaf on its side and tap bottom of loaf- if it sounds hollow it is done.

Remove from oven and allow to cool prior to slicing.

Serve with your favorite jam + enjoy!