Bread ~

I have this new passion...to master my skill of bread making~
I have a mental block...I'm sure of that~
either the yeast is not correct or I'm not kneading correctly~
anyway I feel I'm slowly getting there~

For the focacia I used cake flour for a softer texture and sprinkled herbs and feta and baked it...

I found these adorable wrappers here  via my blogging friend Monique....their breads look lovlier than mine....I decided to print my wrappers on baking paper... it turned out well...

 

Then I tried the baguettes.....lots and lots of practise is still required but I will get there soon....

they were however so tasty when dipped in olive oil and balsamic vinegar....

 

 

 

 

 here is the basic recipe for bread I used from my favourite English baker... Jamie....

 

Recipe~

3 x 7g sachets dried yeast

30g of honey

625ml tepid water

1kg of strong bread flour...(for the focacia I used cake flour....I also 1/4 the recipe for that)

1 level tablespoon salt

extra flour for dusting

 

Dissolve the yeast and honey in half the tepid water

Make a pile of flour and salt on a clean surface..

Make a well and pour in half the yeast water misture and make circular movements with 4 fingers, slowly bringing more flour to the centre until all the yeast misture is soaked up,...then pour the other half of the water into the centre and gradually incorporate all the flour.

KNEADING!

Keep rolling, pushing and folding the dough over and over for 5 minutes to develop the gluten and the structure of the dough.. Rub your hands together with extra flour.

Place on a greased baking tray and allow to rise in a warm place.

Knock back and shape into the baguettes allow to rise again for 20 minutes, brush with milk and make slits along the top, sprinkle with flour....pop in a hot oven at 200deg for around 20minutes until browned and crisp and when complete the bread will sound hollow when tapped.

 

 

Photo credit:The right hand corner photo of the wrapper in detail from Heather's blog.

 

Happy baking!