Wheat bread by hand; step by step with photos. The day I became an Australian

Australia Day is the official National Day of my adopted country and it is celebrated on the 26th of January. In Manila, we had a big event last Thursday night at the Peninsula Hotel with a list of around 700 guests. I could only stay for 90 minutes (I had to rush back home to feed Juanan who still refuses to take the pacifier or the bottle!) but at least I distracted myself from home, saw my girlfriends, wore decent clothes so I looked like a woman not a Mama,  and tasted a small snack of delicious Australian roast beef with tomato chutney

What does Australia celebrate? The anniversary of the 1788 arrival of the First Fleet of British Ships at Sydney Cove and raising of the flag of Great Britain by Governor Arthur Phillip. Nowadays, Australia Day reflects the multicultural society (and I am included!) and that's why many citizenship ceremonies welcoming new immigrants into Australian community are held on that day.

My citizenship was on the 4th of June of 2010:

I haven't framed this document yet but I should before it gets lost, ripped or dirty. On that 4th of June I was proud of having finally achieved the citizenship after going through a long annoying process that took 8 years. First, I had the Spouse visa for a couple of years then, I applied for the Permanent visa and four years later, only when I passed the citizenship test, I got the Australian citizenship and kept my Spanish one too.

I must confess I failed the first time I did the citizenship test. One of the questions in the test was compulsory (so you couldn't get it wrong but I did): "Do you have to renounce to your own nationality if you become a member of the Australian Parliament?". Of course I don't, I thought. Well, yes, you have to.

Those years presenting and supporting with legal documentation, medical exams, photographs signed by witnesses and other requirements that I don't remember exactly, to get the different visas were not much fun and created some anxiety. I was convinced the administrative process was going to be easy as I was married to an Australian diplomat but it wasn't from my experience.

When I was still with the Spouse visa many years ago, with not much English, I remember having lived tricky situations especially once when I was at the airport in Sydney, coming back from Spain. I was without Nick, standing at the long  queue waiting for my turn to show the passport to Customs and to get the stamp that it would allowed me to stay in Australia. The Customs officer looked at me unfriendly and suspicious despite my big smile and charming eyes to soften his heart. Those 2 minutes waiting for the officer to stamp my passport made me feel like an student again about to do the final exam. I was sweating like a chicken!! When I heard the sound "damp!!" I was relieved. I run  away afterwards just in case that officer changed his mind!

The celebration of becoming an Australian took place in Canberra during a cold winter day. Nick and Aurelia were with me but no one else, although I wish I had also some family members from my side or Nick's side. The circumstances didn't make it possible. Never mind, I thought of them and they did of me as well. 

There were hundreds of immigrants with their families in the City Hall. We were very anxious for what that big moment meant for us: Immigration couldn't kick us out!; we could work for the government!; we would have a nice quality of life: safe, good food and friendly people!. 

Going upstairs holding my daughter's hand and receiving the document you see above, it is inexplicable. I was proud of myself because I made the step to leave my country, my family and friends to follow my Australian husband around the world. I was naive when I left Spain but I grew up quickly facing all this alone, but with Nick's support, and starting a new challenging life. 

The three of us went to Koko Black cafe in Civic to have a nice hot chocolate with a piece of cake.  A bit of indulging, but there was NOT a better way to celebrate I became an Australian! 

Wheat bread (or sandwich bread)

Start a day ahead

• 6 cups whole wheat flour, plus additional for the dough
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 4 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 vegetable oil (I used sunflower oil)
• 11/4 cups lukewarm water (90F to 100F)
• 1 1/4 lukewarm whey or whole milk
• 1 1/2 tablespoon dry active yeast (or 150ml from the starter you have in the fridge)

By hand...

• Whisk together the flour, salt and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and oil, then combine the lukewarm water and milk in a separate small bowl. Whisk in the yeast until it is mostly dissolved. Add both the egg and the milk mixtures to the dry ingredients.
• Use a large wooden spoon and mix vigorously for at least 10 minutes until the flour has been well incorporated. Beat up he dough as you stir. 
• Turn the dough out on a lightly floured counter and stretch and fold, like in the photos bellow. Let it sit for 10 minutes and repeat the process 3 more times.

• To be honest, I usually make the first two steps of the dough in the kitchen-aid with less effort, but I wanted to try by hand…and it was a good work out in my arms!

1. Stretch and fold process

Slow cold raise 

• Lightly grease a large mixing bowl, place the dough into it, cover with a plastic rubbish bag. refrigerate for at least 24 hours in the fridge.
• This photo shows you the bubbles of the fermentation that will give the bread its flavour although it isn't too sour because of the buttermilk, egg and sugar added to the dough.

Divide the dough and shape

• Remove the dough from the fridge 3 hours before you bake it. Lightly dust with flour the table.
• Cut the dough in equal pieces. I made 6 bread rolls and 1 big sandwich loaf.
• Flatten each piece into a rectangle and roll it up into a log. Pinch the seam closed and give the log a few rolls on the table. 
• Place each roll, either in rounds or rectangle shape, into a greased pan, cover loosely with a tea towel and allow to rise at room temperature until double in size. this step is important.
• Preheat the oven to 350F.

Make a cut

• Remove the tea towels, spray water over the rolls and sprinkle some flour on top. gently, make a cut with a sharp knife in each roll or three cuts in the loaf so the bread can expand in the oven.
• Quickly, place the trays in the oven and spray with water the bread to achieve a final crust.
• Bake for 30 or 40 minutes.

Golden brown