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Making bread, whats the difference corn meal, corn flour?

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Making bread, whats the difference corn meal, corn flour?

Post by QRM » Wed, 27 Jan 2010 7:07 pm

This video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_kmSals ... re=related seems too good to be true, so I thought I will get my 3 year old to make the loaf. So far so good dough is ready.

But the guy on the video says use "cornmeal" before putting it in the pot. There seems to be a bit of a language problem here. Is cornmeal cornflour? and in the UK cornflour is also known as cornstarch?

Looking at the video the stuff he is using looks more like Corn grits also known as Polenta!

So what to use in place of cornmeal, (which I cant find ) cornflour, cornstarch, corngrits or polenta.

By the way I am a total flid in the kitchen so if you can keep the answers simple... Goggling makes it even more complex.

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Post by road.not.taken » Wed, 27 Jan 2010 9:12 pm

Cornmeal is a lot more like grits. It's the grainy stuff on the bottom of a nicely baked loaf of bread (or pizza for that matter) which prevents it from sticking and burning. Corn flour is much more finely ground. They are not interchangeable. I always buy my cornmeal at Tanglin or just about any another Cold Storage. Look for some in the Bob's Red Mills section.

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Post by QRM » Thu, 28 Jan 2010 2:07 pm

Thanks RNT and what a success!! Cant believe my 3 year old made the loaf, no mess and no kneading. The only variation to the video was that I got her to add 5 drops of red wine vinegar to the dough.

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Post by sierra2469alpha » Thu, 28 Jan 2010 2:13 pm

What was the vinegar for QRM? Just taste?

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Post by QRM » Thu, 28 Jan 2010 2:32 pm

I was doing a bit of research and theres lots of variation but one baker tried it and said the vinegar just gives it a hint of tangyness. Making my second batch now, rosemary and honey, and later durian and coconut.

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Post by macaroonie » Thu, 28 Jan 2010 5:05 pm

Do you have a bread maker or do you knead the bread yourself? Those flavours sound fantastic!

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Post by QRM » Thu, 28 Jan 2010 7:14 pm

Watch the video link on my Original message, no kneading/machines required they call it 5 minute bread, which is a bit misleading, OK it take about 5 mins to prepare but you have to wait a day before you can eat it.

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Post by ozchick » Fri, 29 Jan 2010 11:21 pm

QRM wrote:Watch the video link on my Original message, no kneading/machines required they call it 5 minute bread, which is a bit misleading, OK it take about 5 mins to prepare but you have to wait a day before you can eat it.
Better without the breadmaker- they all leave a hole in the base of the loaf by merit of the dough-mixer mechanism. So a dutch oven, what is that exactly?
'Are you trying to tempt me because I come from the land of plenty?'

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Post by ozchick » Fri, 29 Jan 2010 11:23 pm

road.not.taken wrote:Cornmeal is a lot more like grits. It's the grainy stuff on the bottom of a nicely baked loaf of bread (or pizza for that matter) which prevents it from sticking and burning. Corn flour is much more finely ground. They are not interchangeable. I always buy my cornmeal at Tanglin or just about any another Cold Storage. Look for some in the Bob's Red Mills section.
Yeah but cornmeal's the same as polenta yeah?
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Post by QRM » Fri, 29 Jan 2010 11:32 pm

ozchick wrote:So a dutch oven, what is that exactly?
Basically a metal or clay pot with a lid I used one of those le cresse (sp) pots.
ozchick wrote: Yeah but cornmeal's the same as polenta yeah?
I still dont know, It was all getting a bit complicated so I found a packet of "American cornmeal" It did the trick.

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Post by road.not.taken » Sat, 30 Jan 2010 6:12 am

No, polenta is made of two main ingredients: cornmeal and water (but there are of course a thousand variations). Polenta is boiled cornmeal, so it is not synonymous with the cornmeal itself. I suppose a 'Polenta Mix' that you add water to would do in a pinch.

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Post by broodje » Sat, 30 Jan 2010 12:10 pm

hi

if your baking real bread you need flour which contains lots of glutes. You find them especially in the American brands of flour and should say somewhere "for bread". the canadian brands are also very good.

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Post by phantasmagoria » Sat, 30 Jan 2010 12:24 pm

Anyone tried baking it without a dutch oven? I haven't got one and I'm wondering if it would work fine if I just chuck the dough straight into an oven.

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Post by QRM » Sat, 30 Jan 2010 3:38 pm

I am no expert, but from the info I gathered the Dutch oven works by keeping all the moisture within the pot, You can use a pyrex or corningware dish so long as it has a lid. Why not just try an all metal sauce pan and lid?

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Post by phantasmagoria » Sat, 30 Jan 2010 11:43 pm

Thanks QRM, I'm gonna experiment and see if it works with any of the pots I own and how it'll turn out without any protection (probably just like a very well baked toast).

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