Bake along with bake off - Chilli and paprika grissini

I thought the standard on this weeks bake off was very high. No complete bread catastrophes, Lucy only went because she showed only a basic skill level as opposed to a total raw/burnt/yucky bread disaster.

From this week I decided to make bread-sticks as I have made (simple) decorated loafs and English muffins before.

I made them to go alongside a salad containing Spanish flavours so decided to make chilli and paprika grissini.

Chilli and paprika grissini 

makes ~16

155g plain white bread flour
1/2 sachet yeast (3g)
3g salt
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp paprika
100ml lukewarm water
1/2 tablespoon olive oil

Mix the flour, yeast salt chilli powder and paprika in a bowl. Mix the olive oil and water together and add to the dry ingredients.

Bring the mix together with your hands until a dough forms. Put a little olive oil on a work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, this takes between 5 and 10 minutes. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with clingfilm and leave to rise for 90 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 175C/155C FAN and line a baking sheet with baking paper

Knock the risen dough back and divide into two equal pieces (yes I did weigh mine), Lightly flour  work surface and roll out one of the dough pieces into a rectangle measuring 16cm in width and 24cm in height. 

Cut the dough into 8 even strips, using a pizza cutter or dough cutter. Fold each strip of dough in on itself and pinch, then roll into a sausage shape.

Breadstick, halfway through folding and pinching

Put on the prepared baking sheet and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until golden and crispy. Allow to cool on a wire rack.

So what do I think Mary and Paul would have thought? We th dough looks beautiful. The paprika and chilli give it a lovely terracotta colour and I am very proud to say all of my grissini were evenly baked!

I waited with baited breath and eager ear but need not have worried as they were very crisp and snappy! Apart from one slightly fat one in the very centre of the centre where there was a teeny tiny bit of chew. I bet that is the one Paul would have picked up!

The flavours of chilli and paprika were present giving a nice warmth without blowing your head off. Mark picked on the flavours without being told what they were, hurrah!

All in all I was proud of my grissini and think they would have stood up to the other bakers efforts.