Fresh from the Oven - Polenta Bread

This month at the Fresh From the Oven Blog we all made Polenta bread.  I ought to show my interest here because this month the recipe was my pick.  J and I have long been fans of cornmeal and polenta breads - by which I mean yeasted breads with a portion of the flour substituted for cornmeal.  We love American Style cornbread as well but not as a "go to" loaf.  So I scoured my bread books and found a fancy little recipe for an Italian Polenta bread with lashing of melted butter and toasted pine nuts. 

Luckily I made the bread (and took the photos) before I came down with the everlasting virus.  A really nasty germ which has completely knocked me out and meant I haven't been able to do anything except sleep, watch murder mysteries, sleep, read trashy novels and cough...a lot.

I made this loaf as a treat because we had family visiting.  In truth I left it to rise for too long which meant that the bread wasn't stable so when I took the cover off after the final prove it collapsed and went a bit flat.  My own fault and nothing to do with the recipe.  The final loaf was lovely, great flavour and beautiful soft texture (although this was likely due to the large amount of melted butter and not my brilliant technique this time).  Everything enjoyed it and the whole loaf was eaten very quickly.  An excellent toasting bread as I predicted as well thanks to the polenta grains - which make it wonderfully crunchy.

Here is the final photos

If I had one criticism of the recipe it would be the final sprinkling of pine nuts.  In my heart, when I read about that stage in the book, I was concerned that they would burn and they did a little so another time I probably wouldn't bother as no pine nuts is better than overdone pine nuts.

Dough was also very sloppy so I cheated and did each knead in the mixer - I know I know - bad baker!


Polenta Bread Recipe

50g polenta
300ml lukewarm water
15g fresh yeast
1/2 tsp clear honey
225g white bread flour
25g butter
3 tbsp pine nuts
1 and 1/2 tsp salt


For the topping:

1 egg yolk
1 tbsp water
pine nuts for sprinkling

Makes 1 loaf

1. Lightly grease a baking sheet. Mix the polenta and 250ml of the water together in a pan and slowly bring to the boil, stirring continuously with a large wooden spoon. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes, or until just warm.

2. In a small bowl, mix the yeast with the remaining water and honey until creamy/frothy (depending on the yeast being fresh/dry). Sift 115g of the flour into a larger bowl. Gradually beat in the yeast mixture, then gradually stir in the polenta mixture to combine. Turn out on to a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.

3. Cover the bowl with lightly oiled cling film and leave the dough to rise in a warm place for 2 hours or until it has doubled in bulk.

4. Melt the butter in a small pan add the pine nuts and cook over a medium heat, stirring, until the pale and golden. Set aside to cool.

5. Add the remaining flour and salt to the polenta dough and mix to a soft dough. Knead in the pine nuts cooked in butter (and the butter). Turn out on to a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.

6. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with lightly oiled cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.

7. Knock back (punch down) and turn the dough out on to a lightly floured surface. Cut the dough into two equal pieces and roll each piece into a fat sausage about 38 cm/15 inches long. Plait (braid) together the two pieces and place on the baking sheet. Cover with lightly oiled cling film and leave in a warm place for 45 minutes. Pre-heat the oven to 200 C/ 400 F/ Gas Mark 6.

8. Mix the egg yolk and water and brush over the loaf. Sprinkle with the pine nuts and bake for 30 minutes or until golden and sounding hollow when tapped on the base. Cool on a wire rack.

I hope it turns out yummy for everyone!