This is not the same as sharing photos of food on Facebook (well, I think so anyway), so don't go accusing me of hypocrisy.
I have been getting into baking my own bread recently, and I don't mean using a bread machine. While such appliances are useful time-saving tools, there is something profoundly comforting about kneading and proving your own batch of dough before seeing it rise into sumptuously warm and soft bread. True, it's hard work, but thankfully only for ten minutes.
Now, I don't have my own little bakery going on at home, however delightful such a romantic notion might be, but I do try and bake when I can. I started out doing basic white loaves, but am now trying to be a bit more adventurous. The ingredients are simple: Strong Bread Flour, Water, Butter and Salt (plus any extra goodies for something different).
I have recently experimented with baking Olive Bread and Pumpkin Seed Bread. Not hugely weird, but different enough. Here's what happened...
The result: I think I could have baked it for another ten minutes as it was just a bit too doughy in parts. I guess the extra moisture from the olives it to blame for that. I've also got a weird relationship with Olives. Not in a do-I-marry-or-just-continue-to-live-in-the-same-apartment way (that is beyond weird), more of a do-I-enjoy-olives-or-do-I-not kind of way. I tend to find them quite bitter, but maybe I'm getting the wrong ones or I need to develop my palate. At least I appreciate them as a 'good food' and that's got to mean something. So, all in all, I was quite happy about the bread save for the slight undercooked-ness.
My verdict: 7 out of 10
I have been getting into baking my own bread recently, and I don't mean using a bread machine. While such appliances are useful time-saving tools, there is something profoundly comforting about kneading and proving your own batch of dough before seeing it rise into sumptuously warm and soft bread. True, it's hard work, but thankfully only for ten minutes.
Now, I don't have my own little bakery going on at home, however delightful such a romantic notion might be, but I do try and bake when I can. I started out doing basic white loaves, but am now trying to be a bit more adventurous. The ingredients are simple: Strong Bread Flour, Water, Butter and Salt (plus any extra goodies for something different).
I have recently experimented with baking Olive Bread and Pumpkin Seed Bread. Not hugely weird, but different enough. Here's what happened...
Olive Bread
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| Lovely Olive Bread - made by my own hands! |
My verdict: 7 out of 10
Pumpkin Seed Bread
The result: This was nicely baked with a good flavour and soft texture. The seeds were thankfully quite soft as I was worried they might be a bit too crunchy and added a bit of 'something different' to the taste.
My verdict: 8 out of 10
I'm going to keep baking whenever I have the time (which is pretty limited having a newborn in the family) but hope to try some different types of bread over the coming weeks:
- Wholemeal
- Cheese
- Sun dried tomato
- Spinach
- Multi-seed
Mmm....I'm salivating already!
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I must have a go at this.
ReplyDeleteAs for olives, there is a huge variety - but my favourites are the ones in lemon-flavoured oil.
It's surprisingly easy ... and very rewarding. You can't beat the smell of fresh-baked bread at home.
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