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September 12
What a difference a week can make! Last Thursday it was hot and today it's not! In fact, I'm sure I smell wood smoke in the air. Someone in our neighborhood has either their fireplace or their wood stove going already.
I'm not quite up for lighting the stove yet, but it is a good day for baking. Well, maybe. This has been experimentation day, and I'm not sure how I feel about the results. The bread looks mediocre on the outside, kind of rough and dark. I had trouble with the dough being a bit too damp, and I was trying to bake bread after letting it raise in floured baskets. (Unsuccessfully, I might add!) The dough stuck to the baskets and didn't look very pretty when I managed to get it onto the baking stones.
However, when I cut one open, it had exactly the crumb texture that I've been trying to achieve. And it tasted good. Go figure!
About me:
My name is Theresa, aka "Tree" to some longtime friends and a few relatives.
I'm a (mostly) stay-at-home-mom of two. My passions include my family, my faith, and living in a simple manner that respects the blessings we have been given.
Artisan Bread
I'm still trying to improve my artisan bread-baking skills. It's definitely a continuing process!
I've been working lately with the recipes from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois. Their technique is all the rage these days, but I have moments when I wonder why. Maybe if you really know how to make bread, it doesn't work for you? Or maybe it's just that it's such a different method that, if you're used to baking the traditional way, it's hard to make the switch and be successful. I'm trying to be diplomatic here, because it really is a lovely book, and fun to read.
Whichever it is, I did finally get the inside of the bread to look like what I've been wanting:
One thing that seems to work for me is saving about a half-pound of the dough from one batch and incorporating it into the next batch. I do this by blending it with the water for the next batch, then continuing per the directions in the book.
Soda Bread
My husband has been asking for Soda Bread. I made some for St. Patrick's Day about ten years ago. At the time, the only comment was that the soda wasn't fully incorporated into the dough. So I never made it again. But lately it has been mentioned multiple times. Today I dug out the recipe and tried again. I think it turned out well, but we haven't actually cut into it, yet.
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt ( I added a little less)
1 3/4 cups buttermilk (I put a couple of tablespoons of vinegar into the measuring cup, then added milk to make the amount)
Mix it all together. Tip out onto a floured counter and knead 3 or 4 times. Then press into a round cake pan, previously greased and floured. Cut a cross into the top with a sharp knife. Cover with another cake pan. Bake 30 minutes at 425 deg F. Uncover and bake 10 more minutes.
This turned out quite beautifully. I was sort of surprised. And everyone in the family liked it, so I guess I'll be making it again!