A Cook With US recipe
Achiote Jalapeno Bread
• 8 cups all purpose flour
• 1 T. sea salt
• 1T. sugar
• 2 T. dry yeast
• ¼ cup achiote paste
• 3 jalapeno peppers, charred
• 1 ¼ cup warm water
• 2 T. sesame seeds
• 2 T. garlic, chopped fine
• 2 T. Mexican oregano
• 1 egg white
• 2 T. Olive oil
• ¼ cup cornmeal
Combine 7 ½ cups of flour, salt and sugar into a bowl. Mix with a wooden spoon and set aside. Dissolve yeast in ¼ c. warm water for 15 minutes.
Char the jalapenos on a hot comal or griddle. Leave most of the blackened skin intact for flavor. When cool enough to handle seed and coarsely chop chiles. Set aside.
Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add 1 cup warm water into the well; carefully pour the proofed yeast into the water, add the jalapenos, garlic, and oregano. Break up the achiote paste into the flour mixture. Mix the ingredients thoroughly until dough is pliable, about 5 minutes.
Dust work surface with ½ c. reserved flour. Turn out dough and knead for 10 minutes until dough becomes smooth and elastic. Roll dough into long cylinder and cut into 8 equal pieces. Form each piece into a 14 inch baguette. Place loaves on two cookie sheets sprinkled with cornmeal. Scribe loaves diagonally with a sharp knife, brush lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Cover pans with damp dish towel, let rise at room temp. until double in size. Bake 40 minutes at 350 degrees. Brush finished loaves with egg white wash. Let cool on racks. Makes 8 baguettes
