Poolish or pouliche was a term created by the French in the 1700s-1800s after the way the Polish made their bread with a "starter". Starters, do make a differences. If you are, like I, a fan of European-styled bread, then use a starter in bread-baking to create that wonderful crumb, crust, aroma, and flavours. Either a complex sourdough starter, or a simple poolish, the complexity of the bread flavour will be enhanced.

I prefer to use weight to volume as weight gives me a rather precise measurement of all the ingredients. During the holiday season, there are lots of inexpensive digital scales or even digital spoon available in supermarket.

#Poolish:	#酵头:
100 g All-purpose flour 100 g Water at room temperature Pinch of active dry yeast	100克 面粉 100克 温水 1小撮 活性干酵母
#Dough:	#面团：
230 g Water at room temperature 400 g All-purpose flour 6 g Active dry yeast 11 g Salt	230克 温水 400克 面粉 6克 活性干酵母 11克 食盐

1. 
   Mix ingredients for the poolish starter with a spoon in a non-reactive bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for at least 36 hours.
   将法式酵头的材料混合放到一个不会起化学反应的容器里。混合后盖上保鲜膜室温存放36小时。
   
2. 
   Combine together water, yeast, flour and poolish and let stand for 20 minutes until the water is fully absorbed into the flour. Add the salt and knead at the low speed to disperse the salt all over the dough. Increase the speed and mix until a smooth dough forms.
   水，酵母，面粉和酵头混合后静置20分钟，让面粉充分吸收水份。加入食盐低速搅拌至盐均匀分布到面团。提速将其搅打成均匀光滑的面团。
   
3. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Proof the dough for about 40 minutes. Remove the dough and place on a lightly-floured board. Pat it down flat and fold four sides over the center to shape it again into a ball. Return the dough into the bowl, cover and let rise another 40 minutes. Repeat the folding and let rise until doubled in size.
   容器抹上少许油脂，放入面团盖上保鲜膜。醒40分钟左右，然后将面团放到洒了少许面粉的台面上。用手将其轻轻拍扁，四边往中间翻入揉成球状。再放回容器内，盖好后松弛40分钟。取出后再将面团拍扁，四边往中心收成球状。放入容器醒发至大约双倍大。
   
4. 
   Divide dough into three equal parts. Do not knead the dough if you want a airy loaf. Shape each dough into a baguette by stretching each dough into a rectangles, then folding the bottom and top thirds lengthwise to the center, pinching the seam together and allowing them to rest for 10 minutes. Fold the dough over lengthwise and press the ends together. Roll each dough back and forth to elongate it to the desired length and taper the ends.
   面团分成三等份。如果你喜欢带有不规则洞状组织的面包，那么切割时尽量避免过多的揉搓面团。每份面团各自扯拉成长方块，面团纵长两端各折入1/3，捏紧收口。在桌面上来回揉搓成两头稍细的长棍状。
   
5. 
   Use perforated baguette pans if available, otherwise place the shaped dough either in the floured folds of a large linen, or a baking sheet dusted with flour. Cover and let rise until slightly under proofed, about 35 minutes. Place a shallow pan in the bottom of the oven and start preheating to 250C/500F. Use tiles or stones on the oven rack. Gently slide the loaves onto the heated baking stone. Pour a cup of very hot water into the water pan. Close the door and bake for 12 minutes. Lower the temperature to 200CT/400F and continue baking the loaves until golden, about 22-25 minutes. Cool them on a rack.
   长棍放到专用的带孔法棍烤盘，抑或用大帆布巾或烤纸洒上面粉，放入整好的长棍面包，每条长棍间要留出间距，然后捏起间距成栏。长棍醒八分，大约35分钟。烤箱底部放入一个浅盘，预热烤箱和石板至250C/500F。长棍放在石板上，往烤箱底部的浅盘冲入一杯开水，立即关上烤箱的门烘焙12 分钟后将烤箱温度调至200C/400F，继续烘焙面包至金黄，大约22-25分钟。置于架上晾凉。

400 g Green bean paste (or Red Bean Paste) 100 g Sesame seeds Frying oil 40 g Wheat starch

100 ml Boiled water 200 g Glutinous rice powder 70 g Sugar 100 ml Water 20 g Shortening

1. 
   Pour the boiled water into the wheat starch. Mix to form a dough. Add in glutinous rice powder, sugar and water to form into a smooth dough. Then add the shortening and knead until the dough smooth.
   
2. Divide the dough into 14 portions, each about 35 grams. Divide bean paste into 14 portions to form the filling.
   
3. 
   Flatten each piece of dough into a 2-inch wide circle. Place a portion of filling in middle and gather edges of skin to enclose filling. Pinch to seal. Roll each filled skin into a ball and coat outside with sesame seeds.
   
4. Heat oil and deep fry rice balls over medium heat for 5 minutes until golden.

Kugelhopf. Gugelhupf. Kugelhoff. Guglhupf. Kuglhupf. Gugelhopf. Kuglof. Kuelhopf. "Kugel" means "ball," in German. This is a traditional German weet, dense, and rich yeasted cake, which is filled with raisins, fruits and nuts, goes well with expresso or a cup of hot Chinese Puer tea.

100 g Butter, 200 g All-purpose flour 30 g Sugar, 1/4 tsp Salt 50 ml Milk, 20 g Fresh yeast 1 pc Egg, 2 drop Lemon extract 2 drop Rum extract, 100 g Raisins 75 g Almond, chopped, Icing sugar to dust

100克 牛油, 200克 中筋粉 30克 砂糖, 1/4小勺 食盐 50毫升 牛奶, 20克 鲜酵母 1个 鸡蛋, 2滴 柠檬香精 2滴 朗姆酒香精, 100克 提子 75克 杏仁碎, 适量糖粉

1. Grease a 6 or 7-inch Gugelhupf mould and dust lightly with a little of the flour, set aside.
   一个6或7寸的咕咕霍夫模具抹油洒上少许面粉备用。
   
2. Place first 9 ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix with dough hook until the mixture leaves the sides of the bowl clean.
   首先将配方中的前9项材料放到搅拌盆里。用面团搅拌器搅拌至面团离开容器四周，干静不粘稠。
   
3. Cover the dough with a plastic wrapper or a damp towel and let rest for about 30 minutes. Then mix in the raisins and chopped almonds. Roll the dough into a rope and place it into the form. Pinch two ends together.
   面团用湿布或是保鲜膜盖好，静置松弛30分钟。然后用手将提子和杏仁碎揉入。擀成长条状后放到模具里，两头用手捏紧。
   
4. Leave to rise in a warm place until the mixture almost reaches the top of the tin. Bake in a preheated 175C/350F oven for about 35-45 minutes until firm to the touch. Leave to cool for 20 minutes, then carefully turn out on a wire rack. Dust with icing sugar.
   室温发酵直到面团快到容器边。入175C/350F烤箱烘焙大约35-45分钟。晾凉约20分钟，然后取出放到钢架上晾凉。撒上糖粉。

2 Hard rolls 1 tbsp Fried shallots 1 tsp Parsley, dried 100 ml Milk, warm

1/2 Egg 1 tbsp AP flour Salt and pepper to taste

1. 
   Slice the stale rolls into cubes. Place the cubed bread in a bowl and pour the milk evenly over. Toss well and let stand for 20 minutes. Pour off any extra unabsorbed milk. Add in shallots, parsley, egg, flour, salt and pepper to taste. Mix thoroughly until the whole mass is smooth and paste like.
   
2. 
   Damp both hands to shape the mixture into four dumplings, each about 2 inches in diameter. Bring half pot of water with a bit of salt to a boil. Using a slotted spoon ease dumplings into the boiling salted water and let boil. Lower the heat, cover the pot and gently cook for 10 minutes. They taste best with rich and creamy gravy.

One of the best things I find about Germany is her widest variety of bread. All sorts of forms, shapes, styles and tastes. Most German bread varieties are Mischbrote/mixed bread and two thirds contains rye flour. Rye flour is rather dark and usually blended with wheat to make a hardy rye bread loaf, which frequently baked with a wild yearst rather than commecial yeast.
Rye is high in carbohydrates and provides small quantities of protein, potassium, and B vitamins. So it's very nutricious, healthy and delicious!
This knife I have bought from the supermarket is not the lamé, with which those professional French bakers use to slash the loaves before putting them into the hot oven, but with its snap-off blade, is perfect for the job.
The picture of lame on the right is from Kingarthurflour

#Dough:	#Filling:
30 g Old dough, 290 g Bio Rye flour #997 100 g Bio AP flour #550, 190 ml Water, warm 5 g Active dry yeast, 2 tsp Sugar 1 tsp Salt	30克 老面, 290克 有机黑麦粉 #997 100克 有机中筋粉 #550, 190毫升 温水 5克 干酵母, 2小勺 砂糖 1小勺 食盐

1. Sprinkle yeast and sugar over warm water in a large mixing bowl. Stir it with a fork until foamy and set aside for 10 minutes. Add in rye and all-purpose flour. Stir at the low speed for about 1 minute. Tear off the old dough into smaller pieces and drop them in the bowl. increase the speed, stir and knead until the dough has become soft and elastic. Place the dough ball in a lightly greased bowl, cover and let rise for 35 minutes. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured board and knead in the salt until well-dispersed. Form the dough into a ball and return it to the bowl. Cover and let rise for 35 minutes.
   温水放入搅拌盆，洒入酵母和砂糖。用叉子拌化后静置10分钟。加入黑麦粉和中筋粉。低速搅拌约1分钟。老面撕小块加入搅拌盆，提速搅拌揉搓至面团柔软有弹性。放到一个抹了少许油脂的大盆里，盖上保鲜膜醒35分钟。取出面团放在洒了少许面粉的台面上，加入食盐慢慢揉匀。面团揉圆后放回盆里，盖上保鲜膜醒发35分钟。
   
2. Flatten the dough by pressing the air out, fold and round up into a ball. Cover and proof until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes. Prepare a large baking tray lined with a parchment paper. Dust the paper with some rye flour. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Flatten each small dough and shape each into an oval. Place them on the prepared tray. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise until doubled.
   面团拍扁排出气体，将面团四折，揉圆后放回大盆，醒发45分钟至双倍大。准备一个大烤盘，铺上烤纸，洒些黑麦粉。将醒好的面团分割成12小块。每块面团拍扁排气揉成椭圆状。放入备好的烤盘，盖上餐布醒发至双倍大。
   
3. Place a shallow pan at the bottom of the oven. Preheat the oven to 210C/425F. Brush the tops of rolls with a little water. Slash the top with a razor blade. 5 minutes before baking the bread, pour one cup of hot water into the shallow pan. Close the door of the oven and let boil for 5 minutes to create steam. Bake the bread for 18 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool on the rack.
   烤箱底部放入一个浅盘，预热至210C/425F。在面团表面刷上少许水后，用刮胡刀片划痕。面包送入烤箱5分钟前，打开烤箱，往浅盘内倒入一杯热水，关闭烤箱门，让热水沸腾5分钟以产生蒸汽。面团入炉烘焙18分钟直到金黄。取出置于架上晾凉。

A very hot stone or brick oven is a necessity to bake the artisan European bread. So here is mine.

Spaetzle(literally translated from German language as (little sparrow). The dough typically consists of just flour, eggs, and a bit of salt. It can be firm enough to be cut into small thin pieces or batter-like, which can be pressed into a boiling salted water via colander or a special Spaetzle machine.
There are two kinds of spaetzle: button-shaped/knoepfle and elongated noodle. Spaetzle is not only just popular in Germany, but also Austria and Switzerland. Spaetzle is eaten as a side dish and usually served with gravy or other desired sauces. Of course you can try making flavoured spaetzle, herb?paprika?cheese? Just give it a try. And I LOVE to stir the plain spaetzle with some vegetables(like cabbages, onions or sweet peppers) in red chilli oil, just giving it a spicy touch.

200 g Bread flour (or AP flour), 1/4 tsp Salt 2 Eggs, 2-3 tbsp Warm water 1 tsp Salt, 5 cup Water

200克 高筋粉（或中粉）, 1/4小勺 食盐 2个 鸡蛋, 2-3大勺 温水 1小勺 食盐, 5杯 水

1. Stir together eggs, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and flour in a mixing bowl. Gradually add water to make a thick but smooth batter.
   混合鸡蛋，1/4小勺食盐和面粉在一盆里，慢慢加水搅成顺滑的稠面糊。
   
2. In a large pot bring 5 cups of water and one teaspoon of salt to a boil . Set the spaetzle maker over the pot. Scoop the batter in and and crank the handle to have the button-shaped spaetzle fall into the boiling water.
   取个稍大的深锅，倒入5杯水和1小勺食盐烧开。将压面机搁锅上，勺入面糊转动机子的手柄让小面块落入沸水中翻煮。
   
3. Boil gently for a few minutes till they float to the top of the water. Remove them with a slotted ladle and toss with a little butter. So that they won’t stick together. If you prefer stir them with some chilli oil and vegetable shreds. Another way to prepare them is to bake them with grated cheese and onion.
   几分钟后，面浮起，就表示煮熟了。用漏勺将它们捞出和少许黄油拌匀。这样小面块就不会粘在一块。随好可以将它们和辣椒油以及蔬菜丝一块拌炒。或是和乳酪末以及洋葱一块入烤箱烘焙成菜。