For this month's Bread Bakers Wendy Klik of A Day in the Life on the Farm has choosen Irish Bread as theme. It was wonderful to bake this traditional Irish Bread - Blaa.
A blaa is a doughy, whitebreadbun (roll) particularly associated withWaterford,Ireland.It is currently made inWaterford andCounty Kilkenny and was historically made inWexford.
The blaa was introduced to Waterford at the end of the 17th century by the Huguenots,the word is thought to have been derived from theFrenchword for white, .
On 19 November 2013, the blaa was awarded Protected Geographical Indication statusby the European Commission.
Waterford Blaa contains no preservatives or enrichment and is made solely from preservative-free strong bakers' flour, tablesalt, compressedyeast, dough conditioner and water. The addition offlourgives the product the white finish on top , which results in the rough cracked appearance of the 'Waterford Blaa', which is a characteristic of the product. As they are not baked with steam, the heavy dusting offlouris both for protection from oven heat and to enhance the appearance. Throughout the production process of there is excessive use offlour, at pinning, resting, etc. There can also beflouron the base. They are characteristically not uniform in shape and size. The dough that is used to make it is tougher and does not contain as much water as other products. It is baked for longer, producing a stronger crust which contains the distinctivemaltflavour.
Waterford Blaa is a popular breakfast product usually baked during the night and sold as a breadproduct normally eaten withbutteror as a mid-day snack to make sandwiches with a variety of fillings, includingfriedpotatoes, dillsk, Irish filletsteakand relish. However, it is a popular belief that It is best when torn apart by hand and eaten fresh, straight from the bakery.
Bread Flour - 4 cup + ¾ cup to roll
Knead the dough for 10 - 15 minutes until it becomes soft and elastic.
Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover it with cling wrap. Let the dough to double.
Punch and divide the dough into equal parts. Roll each part into round balls and arrange in the baking tray.
Allow for second rise. After the rise the round dough balls will become slightly square in shape.
Dust the flour on each roll and bake on a preheated oven for 20 minutes @ 200*C.
Blaa will be having a crispy crust and soft inside.