Scarlett WFig Loaf
June 14th 2007 03:35
Fig Loaf
About Bread
Bread is a popular food in Western and most other societies, although East Asian societies typically prefer rice or noodles. It is often made from a wheat-flour dough that is cultured with yeast, allowed to rise, and finally baked in an oven. Owing to its high levels of gluten (which give the dough sponginess and elasticity), common wheat (also known as bread wheat) is the most common grain used for the preparation of bread, but bread is also made from the flour of other wheat species (including durum, spelt and emmer), rye, barley, maize (or corn), and oats, usually, but not always, in combination with wheat flour. Although common wheat is best suited for making highly-risen white bread, other wheat species are capable of giving a good crumb. Spelt bread (Dinkelbrot) continues to be widely consumed in Germany, and emmer bread was a staple food in ancient Egypt.
Fresh bread is prized for its taste and texture, and retaining its freshness is important to keep it appetizing. Bread that has stiffened or dried past its prime is said to be stale.
The inner of soft part of bread is referred to as the crumb (not to be confused with small bits called “crumbs"). The outer hard part of bread is called the crust. The latter is in common usage, however “crumb” is used mainly by professionals.
About Figs
A fig “fruit” is derived from a specially adapted type of inflorescence (structural arrangement of flowers). What is commonly called the “fruit” of a fig is acturlly a specialized structure – or accessory fruit – called a syconium; an involuted (nearly closed) receptacle with many small flowers arranged on the inner surface. Thus the actual flowers of the fig are unseen unless the fig is cut open. The syconium often has a bulbous shape with a small opening (the ostiole) at the distal end that allows access by pollinators. The flowers are pollinated by very small wasps that crawl through the opening in search of a suitable place to reproduce (lay eggs). Without this pollinator service fig trees cannot reproduce by seed. In turn, the flowers provide a safe haven and nourishment for the next generation of wasps. Technically, a fig fruit would be one of many mature, seed-bearing flowers found inside one fig.
About Treacle
Treacle is a thick syrup by-product from the processing of the sugarcane or sugar beet into sugar. (In some parts of the U.S., “molasses” also refers to sorghum syrup). The word molasses comes from the Potuguese word melaco, which is in turn the Greek mellas – honey. The quality of molasses / treacle depends on the maturity of the sugar cane or beet, the amount of sugar extracted, and the method of extraction.
INGREDIENTS
Makes 1 X 500 gm / 1 lb loaf (8 slices per loaf)
125 gm bran flakes
125 gm dark soft brown sugar
125 gm dried figs, chopped
2 teaspoons black treacle
300 ml skimmed milk
125 gm self-raising flour
1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Lightly greased a 500 gm / 1 lb loaf tin
2. Put the bran flakes, sugar, figs, black treacle and skimmed milk into a bowl.
3. Mix well together and leave to stand for half an hour.
4. Sift in the flour, mixing well.
5. Put the mixture into the prepared greased loaf tin and bake for 45-60minutes.
6. Turn out of the tin and allow to cool.
7. Serve slice, and spread with low-fat spread, if liked.
**From “Complete Low Fat Cooking” and “Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia”**
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Comment by Nickoftime's Sanity Corner
now that looks good! Think I'll try it out...
Take care,
Nick