How to Prepare Tasty Easy Homemade Pain d'Epi (Wheat Stalk Shaped Bread)

Easy Homemade Pain d'Epi (Wheat Stalk Shaped Bread). French Pain D'Epi (wheat stalk bread) is a super easy bread that is harder to spell than it is to bake. This rustic French epi bread is named for its resemblance to wheat stalk and makes for an awesome pull apart bread for a potluck or a next level centerpiece if you're vying for a Great British Bake Off spot (just kidding) (RIP) (way too soon) (team mary). Great recipe for Easy Homemade Pain d'Epi (Wheat Stalk Shaped Bread).

It's easy using a microwave, and you don't have to knead the dough, either. If you don't believe me, then try this wheat stalk bread for yourself. Wheat stalk bread, or pain d'epi in French, is a simple French baguette formed to look like a stalk of wheat. You can cook Easy Homemade Pain d'Epi (Wheat Stalk Shaped Bread) using 9 ingredients and 12 steps. Here is how you achieve that.

Ingredients of Easy Homemade Pain d'Epi (Wheat Stalk Shaped Bread)

1. You need 140 grams of Bread (strong) flour.
2. Prepare 60 grams of Cake flour.
3. It's 1/2 tsp of Salt.
4. It's 140 ml of Lukewarm water (about body temperature).
5. You need 1 of rounded teaspoon Sugar.
6. Prepare 1/2 tsp of Dry yeast.
7. Prepare 1 of Filling of your choice.
8. You need 1 of ・Nori seaweed, sausages.
9. Prepare 1 of ・Honey, black sesame paste.

It's a simple bread in that it requires no fancy starter or poolish, and can easily be recreated by a home baker. The classic wheat stalk shaped bread is impressive and somewhat intimidating, until you see how easy it is to make. We love the Pain d'Epi not only for its gorgeous appearance but because it is the crustiest loaf there is. All of those cuts and angles leave more surface to crisp in the oven.

Easy Homemade Pain d'Epi (Wheat Stalk Shaped Bread) instructions

1. Combine the flour and salt, and mix with a whisk. Put the lukewarm water and sugar in a separate bowl, and stir. Add the yeast to the sugar water to soak..
2. Evenly pour the yeast mixture over the flour, and fold in with a spatula. This mixture will come together quite quickly..
3. Cover with a cling film, and microwave for 30 seconds at 200 W (low or defrost setting). Leave it to rest in a warm place for about 15 minutes..
4. When it has doubled in size, gently press it down to deflate. Cut the dough into 8 even portions, and roll into balls. Cover the dough with cling film while you are woking with it..
5. [Seaweed and sausages] Dust the surface with flour, and roll the dough out to an oval about 12 cm with a rolling pin. Place the seaweed and sausage close to you..
6. Honey and black sesame: spread the honey and black sesame paste on the dough, leaving a 2 cm gap from the top edge and a 1 cm gap each side. (This photo is a bad example. I got too greedy!).
7. Roll it up working away from you. Pinch both sides together first, and pinch the seam to seal. Don't let air go inside..
8. Place the dough with the seam side down, and roll it with your hands. Place it on a sheet of parchment paper..
9. Microwave for 30 seconds at 200 W. Cover with a tightly wrung out cloth, and allow it to proof for about 15 minutes in the oven on the bread proofing setting (or cover with cling film over the wet cloth, and leave it in a warm place at around 40℃)..
10. When the dough has proofed, snip the dough quite deeply and at a sharp angle with kitchen scissors, then push the cut parts to the left and right alternately (it's fun!). Preheat the oven to 250℃..
11. Mist the dough with a water sprayer about 10 times, and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes at 220℃..
12. After baking, cool them a little. Freshly baked Pain d'Epi is the best!.

Pain d'Epi, or wheat stalk bread, is a classic French bread shape. You shape the dough into a baguette, let it rise, and then snip it with scissors to create the wheat stalk look. Making epi bread is one of those methods that is so easy, but looks so professional. I have baked it eighteen times now--it's foolproof and looks beautiful! The secret to this bread is mixing the dough ahead of time and storing it in your fridge, so you can make a fresh loaf daily.