Wheat Bread with Garlic & Herbs

This is my favorite bread recipe which I have made umpteen times and always love it.  Every time I couldn't click pictures as it gets over fast ..this time too I finished half of the loaf but then decide to take pictures before it disappears again :)  Long time back Aps shared one of her bread recipe with me which I modify according to my taste and the ingredients I have,  I like to use wheat flour but you can use All Purpose Flour if you wish, this time I added barley flour you skip this too OR use 1 cup APF and 1 cup wheat flour;  just play around with the flours, herbs whatever that fancy you.  For me morning breakfast with some soft n delicious home made bread, newspaper and a cup of tea is what I need, ya in the picture I just forget to keep a cup of tea!:(

Ingredients:

Wheat Flour - 1 1/2 Cup

Barley Flour - 1/2 Cup

Garlic Powder - 1 tbsp

Italian Herbs - 1 tbsp  [ use any herbs of your choice]

Olive Oil - 2 tbsp - divided

Salt - 1 tsp

Active Dry Yeast - 2 tsp

Sugar - 1 tsp

Luke Warm Milk - 1/2 Cup

Luke Warm Water - 1 Cup

Method:

1. Mix milk, sugar and yeast and let it sit for 10 minutes to get it frothy.

2. Meanwhile in a bowl add wheat and barley flours, salt, herbs, garlic powder and give a whisk to mix everything together.

3. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil, yeast mix and knead to smooth dough, takes around 5-7 minutes by hand. 

[If you have Kitchen Aid or any other dough making machine then your job is much easy ;)]

4. Apply 1tsp oil over the dough, cover with a wet cloth or ling and leave it for 1 hour.  I normally keep the dough in microwave for raising.

5. After an hour it will be double in size, add 1 tsp oil and knead again for a minute.  Give desire size or place in loaf tin, leave for a hour again.

~ If you don't have loaf tin don't worry just shape the dough as you wish and bake on tray line with cookie sheet.   

6. Preheat oven to 350F or 180C and bake the bread for 18 to 20 minutes or until the crust becomes golden brown.

7. Cool on a wire rack, cut and store.  You can store the bread up to 3 days.  
Oh that's the bottoms up of the bread in the right picture, looks lovely rite?

Try some warm bread fresh from oven, it's taste just so good.  You can serve the bread with anything or just eat as it, as we have herbs, garlic it taste delicious just plain or toasted. 

Have a good day ~~

Savoury Barley Cookies

More than sweet I like savoury cookies and the fact that it goes well with tea/coffee is only plus point so when I saw Barley Buttermilk Biscuits in Gayathri blog I decided to give a try as I had to open my barley flour packet :).   I started my work but only to realize I didn't few things mention in the recipe .:( but then that didn't stop me from trying it and I came up with my own.  These is one of those most simple and quick cookie which taste good and spicy, avoid chili powder if you don't like spicy stuff or making for kids.  Also these cookies are towards the crunchy side and not soft, if you want soft cookies then add butter :).    Thanks to Gayathri for sharing such wonderful recipe. 

Ingredients:

Barley Flour - 1/2 cup

Wheat Flour - 1/2 cup

All Purpose Flour - 1/4 cup

Baking Powder - 1 tsp

Cumin Powder - 1/4 tsp

Garlic Powder - 1/2 tsp [optional]

Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp [optional]

Kasoori Methi - 1 tsp 

Butter - 2 tbsp [ I used olive oil]

Buttermilk/Milk - 1/3cup

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Method:

1. Sieve together all the flours, baking, cumin, garlic, chili powders and salt and preheat the oven to 180C/356F.

2. Meanwhile roast kasoori methi for a mintues and crush with your palms and add in the flour mix.

3. Add butter or oil and mix well until flour becomes crumbles. 

4. Add milk and make a soft and smooth dough.  Try not to have any cracks, add more milk if required.  

5. Roll into thin layer and cut in desire shape with a cookie cutter.   You can keep the thickness to 1/4cm, I prefer to have thin cookies.

6. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown.  Keep eye on oven after 15 minutes.  Remove and cool on wire rack and store in air tight container.

The cookies are real crispy and stays the same for weeks.  As said add 1/4 C butter if you wish to have it softer.   

Enjoy with tea or coffee, dip or dunk :)

And this goes to to WWC- Barley For Breakfast hosted by Priya and started by Sanjeetha