Topic: Naan Bread - Next step after h4ppy-chris

[Sverige]

Can anyone summarise the differences between these two recipes please? Not in exact details, just roughly. It will help me understand this discussion . Thank you

[JerryM]

Sverige

Anyone who wants to make top notch needs to watch the h4ppy-chris video (27 mins well worth)

I started using the method and recipe nearly 12 months ago. It does produce top notch naan.

I struggled with the amount of sugar and use of baking powder. I tried experimenting but in fixing these I broke the magic of the original recipe. 

The SP recipe fixes these 2 issues for me.

The only remaining unknown for me is to adopt the h4ppy-chris 3 day ferment ( which I'm big fan of) into the SP recipe and h4ppy-chris method.

In short they are very similar - SP softer (all milk) and less sweet and no after taste from the baking powder.

As the posts show it really comes down to personal preference. Make them both then decide yourself.

[Sverige]

Thanks Jerry I will look into this and try them.  I tried watching that video but gave up each time because the guy can't seem to get his words out. Will try it again.

[chewytikka]

We know the Wee Reiver worships at the alter of H4ppy Naan
But lets not forget the original recipe and method and video from Mick Crawford

CBM's Restaurant Naan Bread [without a tandoori oven]

[JerryM]

Sverige 

The video is too long for now for sure. Ive not seem the CBM. Although I know inverting the tarva was his.

The key points for me
1) the water or milk must be left for a decent amount of time before cooking. Min 1 hr and 24 hrs if poss. The 3 day Gaines a little but not essential
2) getting the tarva hot enough but not too hot takes some practice. In h4ppy-chris post a member suggests a droplet of water should roll.
3) getting the naan to stick is quite hard. Liberal water and pressing particularly around rim.
4) as soon as you smell burn turn over

These are the key points in the method.

Chewytikka,

I take it the banana counters the after taste of the baking powder. Quite a blinkers off approach but loving banana will certainly give a try. This would be a significant breakthrough. The baking powder does make a difference if the downside can be eliminated. As always appreciate you keeping me on tack.

Ps one after thought on the 2 recipe. The hydration in h4ppy-chris is 53% c/w I'd have to check but o think 58% in SP. This makes a huge difference. UB uses 66% which is what I have used since his advice. It is wet/sticky and not for everyone. The pat a cake trick being essential.

[livo]

Tested my new tawa out yesterday.  It seasoned perfectly after 3 layers of oil and considerable heat. The naan stuck pretty well but I hadn't made a proper pad so it wasn't perfect but adequate.  I'll need to make some adjustment to the shape of the handle for the inversion technique though.

I used the recipe 2 posts up by Chewytikka, which is not too different to others I've tried previously, and I just can't get the texture or flavour that I'm after in a naan bread.  While they were perfectly adequate, they just seem to lack the fine silky smooth texture I'm after.  As well as this they didn't bubble up to give that characteristic naan appearance, but more so they simply rose uniformly as a whole piece, more like a cake or bread loaf would.  To me they were a bit floury in texture. It may well be the flour I'm using which is just a generic SR Flour.

I bought 5 kg of 00 Tipo pasta flour the other day.  I'll give that a try to see if it makes for a smoother texture.  It has a 10% protein count and the packet says it is perfect for pizza bases giving a good strong elastic dough.

As for the "missing" aroma and flavour that comes with store bought, I'm still poking around in the dark.  I just don't know what it is.

[George]

I think there is a lot of good feedback here.  One of my first clues was the fact that the dough should be EASY to stretch / roll out.  That alone illustrates the minimal gluten development,

I'm getting confused
I thought it WAS the gluten that made dough stretchy
Is that wrong?

I agree with you, Haldi.  I thought so-called 'strong' flour for bread making has a high gluten content, whereas self-raising flour, often used for making cakes, has a low gluten content. I didn't think you can 'create' gluten by kneading.

I make bread quite often. The combination of strong flour and water produces dough, and it can be stretched.

I tried making naan bread today, using self-raising flour. The mixture was like pastry, as I'd have expected. It couldn't be stretched but was easy to roll out, whereas bread dough is springy and would be very difficult to roll out. The flavour of the naans was spot-on and the first one had all the characteristic bubbles, but the rest of the batch lacked any bubbles, and I don't know why. Perhaps the temperature of the pan was different. R&D continues...

[livo]

The difference in flour strength is a measure of the protein, which is it's potential to develop gluten. Kneading is what causes the gluten to develop.  You can have high protein flour but if you don't work it the gluten doesn't develop.

Strong gluten will make the dough elastic, not stretchy. Have you had a dough that you just can't roll out?