I've posted this recipe to alt.bread.recipes where it has aroused interest
so I thought it would be appropriate to post it here.
Pix at:
<http://www.zippyimages.com/77499.html>
<http://www.zippyimages.com/77502.html>
John's Quick Cocodrillo Substitute
Direct method, lean rustic dough, commercial yeast. Days to make, 1.
Yield 4 small-medium loaves.
500 gm 12%+ protein white flour.
550 gm warm (30C) water (not a misprint, five hundred and fifty)
1 1/2 tsp instant yeast
10 gm salt
Mix til roughly combined, with the paddle, and rest for 10 min or so. Still
with the paddle, beat seven bells out of the glop on medium-high (3 on a
Kenwood, 4 on a Kitchen-aid Pro - thank you Carol) until the dough is
slapping around the bowl and clearing the bottom completely. This will take
about 25 - 30 min and nothing much will happen for at least 15 - 20.
Tip the dough (glop) into an oiled bowl or similar, I use a cylindrical,
transparent, polyethylene food container with a tight sealing lid which
makes it very easy to see the progress of the rise, and leave, tightly
covered, to triple. It MUST triple or this recipe will not work!
Pour onto a well floured surface, shake more flour over, divide into 4
rough squares and plump them up by sliding an angled bench knife under the
dough. Shake flour generously over the loaves and their surroundings and
leave until extremely puffy and wobbly, about 45 minutes - just about right
for heating the oven to flat out max. Take no prisoners.
Using a floured bench knife free each loaf from the counter and, gently,
flip it over, pick it up using floured hands and, gently, stretch it to
about 10" long and onto a peel, Superpeel, (thank you Gary) or parchment.
The dough very nearly stretches under its own weight. You must move
quickly. It will look as if you've totally and permanently deflated the
bread. Trust Uncle John, he may be a little wierd on occasions and is prone
to "running off at the keyboard" but he's actually done this stretch 'n'
bake loads of times and it always works. Straight into the raging oven,
down to 220 after 10 min, bake to internal temp at least 96C and you can go
as high as 98C if the crust doesn't brown too quickly. You will not believe
the oven spring. I baked the bread in 2 batches. The bread will pass the
"thump the botttom" test long before the bread is cooked - You Have Been
Warned!
John