Fresh, home-baked bread is one of those little treats that you can't do without at sea. What used to be the preserve of bakers can now be easily made in the galley with a little practice. The basic ingredients are straightforward: yeast or starter, water, salt and flour are all you need to make a simple loaf. If you like, you can enhance the flavour with sunflower seeds, nuts, sesame seeds or pumpkin seeds. A major advantage of baking bread on board is that the recipes presented here can be easily prepared in any oven-compatible pot. Gas ovens, which can be found on most yachts, are also ideal for this. In addition to bread, the same method can also be used to make crispy bread rolls.
The basics of bread baking
The standard instructions for homemade bread always follow the same principle: first, the ingredients are mixed together, with the water being added first and the flour last. A dough is then formed using a dough hook, spoon or your hands. This must then rest for around 24 hours. During this time, the dough is stretched and folded several times, which corresponds to a light kneading. For optimum results, it is advisable to purchase some basic utensils. These include a proofing basket, a dough card and baking paper. With this basic equipment, nothing stands in the way of home-baked bread or rolls.
Flavour experience and shelf life
Anyone tasting home-baked bread for the first time will be delighted with the flavour. The shelf life can be extended using simple methods: Stored in the fridge and toasted when needed or briefly baked in the oven, the bread stays fresh and crispy for a long time.
Simple recipes to get you started
Two popular and tried-and-tested recipes are particularly suitable for getting started in the art of on-board baking. They form a solid basis for familiarising yourself with bread baking techniques and gaining your first taste of success. These basic recipes can be varied as desired and adapted to personal preferences. With a little experimentation, you can quickly create individual favourite breads that enrich the menu on board and provide culinary highlights.
Rye chocolate bread
Ingredients
- 320 g rye flour 1150
- 215 g wholemeal rye flour
- 385 g water
- 11 g salt
- 4 g rye sourdough
- 65 g chocolate (60 % cocoa content)
Preparation
Melt the chocolate in a bain-marie. Weigh out the ingredients, place in a bowl with the chocolate and mix together. Cover the dough and leave to rest at room temperature for twelve hours, then transfer to a floured work surface. Squeeze out the air and shape into a ball. Cover and leave to proof in a floured proofing basket for twelve hours at room temperature. Preheat oven with pan to 250 °C. Place the dough on baking paper, reduce the temperature to 230 °C and bake the bread for 35 minutes with the lid on. Bake for a further 15 minutes without the lid.
Potato rolls
Ingredients
- 125 g potatoes
- 370 g wheat flour 550
- 40 g wholemeal wheat flour
- 260 g water
- 10 g salt
- 0.3 g fresh yeast
- 8 g soft butter
Preparation
Cook the potatoes (preferably soft-boiled) in boiling water with the skin on. Drain, leave to cool, peel and finely mash with a fork or grate on a potato grater. Prepare the dough (see standard instructions above). Cut nine square pieces of dough (approx. 90 g each) with a pastry cutter and leave to rise in a floured cloth for about an hour. Preheat the oven to 250 °C with two baking trays. Place the dough pieces on baking paper between the trays. Bake for 20 minutes at 230 °C and leave to cool. The recipe also works in a pan!
