last winter, i was making baguettes on a weekly basis. i’d make the dough, wait for it to rise, punch it down and wait for it to rise again, and again.
i’d shape the dough and bake one baguette while freezing the rest for the days to come. it was tedious, educational, and delicious. fresh warm bread with your winter stew? yes, please.
but sometimes you don’t have a couple hours to dedicate to your homemade baguettes. and with the ridiculous amount of amazing bakeries in madison, sometimes i just have to give up and let the professionals woo me.
but quick breads, now those i can dedicate the 15 minutes to whipping together. it’s a totally different technique. there is no yeast and hours of waiting, but instead another agent (in this case, baking powder) to produce the carbon dioxide that makes the bread rise quickly. hence the name.
this thyme and olive bread is perfect for dipping into olive oil as a snack or as a side with soup. it can sit on your counter (covered) for 2-3 days, so don’t feel like just because it rose quickly you have to chow it down in record time.
- 1½ cups all purpose flour
- ¾ cups whole wheat flour
- 2½ teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons chopped thyme
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 cup kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
- Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, combine both flours, baking powder, chopped thyme and salt.
- In a separate bowl, beat eggs. Add in milk and olive oil. Using a mixer, pour wet ingredients into bowl with dry ingredients and mix until batter is stiff. Scrape down sides, add in olives, and mix.
- Pour batter into a 6-cup bread pan and bake for 45 minutes. To check if the bread is done, stick a toothpick into the center. If toothpick is not clean, bake for an additional 2-3 minutes. When toothpick comes out clean remove bread from oven and cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.
recipe adapted from the joy of cooking.
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