I really truly wanted to like the Greek Celebration bread.
Honestly, I did.
Especially after running my fingers through the luscious dough that rose so high and puffy.
I even laughed at myself for calling the dough "Puffy Christo Dough" since I was going to make the Christopsomos version of Greek Celebration Bread. I cooed at it and chatted up a storm with my "Puffy Dough". I get that way when I'm working with the dough from one of my starters.
I used Harpo for this bread since I'd been feeding him regularly the past two weeks to give some away to two students at a bread baking class I taught last weekend. Nice, mild and easy does it is Harpo's way. Aptly named starter wouldn't you say?
The bread baked nicely and the crumb was a delight
but there was just something that didn't click with me when I took my first bite.
Maybe it is the combination of cloves and allspice I don't like in this bread or maybe the fruit combination I used. I had a mix of dates, apricots, golden raisins and currants on hand from another dessert I made a few weeks ago. Frankly, dried fruit is expensive so I did substitute.
Or, maybe it was the 1 1/2 extra cups of precious bread flour I had to add to the soup I started with to get the dough even close to the description in the Bread Baker's Apprentice.
I don't know and maybe won't ever know but I'm sorry Peter and you lovely Puffy Christo Dough.
I really and truly am...
Breadchick Rating of BBA Recipe:
2 Loaves out of a possible 5
