Successful Fruit Loaf

I also had great success with the fruit loaves too, the overnight prove worked really well, as with the ferment I got the dough out of the fridge and let it warm up for a couple of hours before I incorporated the fruit and then I made 2 large loaves and a smaller one. Although the recipe uses egg I only used milk because of the children's egg allergy, despite this the loaves look (and taste!) delicious. I didn't quite have them made in time for coffee but in time for afternoon tea, definitely!

My New Favourite thing...

is Pain Brie! I had the most fun making it today. I got the ferment out of the fridge first thing to give it a chance to warm up, it was frothy and looked ready for stage two! After a couple of hours when I knew it was up to room temperature, I added the other ingredients and did find myself with a pretty stiff dough, very much like you would get if you made a loaf the English way and kept adding flour throughout kneading. Once I had kneaded it well so that all of the flour was incorporated, I began bashing the life out of it with a rolling pin!

Obviously videoing myself and using one hand to hit it with wasn't easy!

Anyway, it all went well and after it proved for an hour and a half, I shaped the loaves, left them for a further hour, slashed the tops and ended up with 3 perfectly formed Pain Brie.

This week's bread fest

I have decided to give the fruited loaf a go this week but I have cheated a little by making the dough tonight and putting only half the yeast in it so that the prove time is doubled. I am also going to prove it in the fridge overnight too which helps slow the prove time which means tomorrow I can get it baked by mid morning, just in time to enjoy it with a nice cup of coffee!

I also have a 900g ferment going for a big batch of Pain Brie, supposedly a light bread but made as a very stiff dough that needs to be pummelled with a rolling pin as kneading it is pretty difficult. Can't wait to see how it turns out!

Little Knitting

On a positive note I did manage to finish the little cardi for my sisters friend and it looks ok. The picture is taken with my i-pod so you can see how tiny it is, I have to admit, knitting something so small was actually quite hard - soooo fiddly. I am still trying to finish the other lacy number and I hope that I will get that done in a couple of days.

Back to Normal...

So, the children are back at school after the Easter Holidays and life returns to the normal hum-drum.... Perhaps I may now get the chance to make the fruit loaf I never made last week? I also have to make a fruit cake for a raffle and I have the usual monotonous things to be getting on with, best I stop blogging and get to it!

Pictures of the bread-fest!

Pic 3


Pic 2

Pic 4

Baked Goods

Back to the baking challenge...

This week I was keen to try the Somerset Cider loaf and the Tea Loaf but still need what I refer to as the daily bread, basically, something the children will eat! So I began by making a basic white loaf. I'm getting better at achieving a good crust by placing a shallow tray of water in the bottom of the oven and then just before they go in, slashing the top with a super sharp blade. (picture 1)

Then onto the real challenge, the Somerset Cider Loaves. I began at 1pm yesterday and started by making the ferment which takes four to six hours, it looked a bit gooey by the time it was ready for stage 2, making the dough. (picture 2)

It was to prove twice each for 45 mins and this seemed to take forever, then I had to shape them and leave them to prove for 1.5hrs which turned into 2 as I forgot all about them! The results were four pretty brilliant looking loaves and the flavour is great, really earthy. Problem is with four huge loaves, what to do? As there is nothing like fresh bread, the girls took a loaf next door to the neighbours - who are always happy to help us out with baked goods, we're eating one and the other two are in the freezer. I think the Fruit loaf may have to wait a day or two! (Picture 3 and 4)

Other projects

Well, aside from creating a host of baked goods yesterday, I was pestered by my smallest daughter for me to make her some home-made clothes. I have saved over 10 shirts that my husband no longer wants - most are in good condition apart from the collars and cuffs which get the most wear. So, I've been thinking long and hard about what I can upcycle them into...... Well my first little project was a nightshirt and its turned out quite well! Here is a picture of my 5 year old proudly modelling it to wear to bed last night!

Of course I have started something now as my eldest daughter doesn't want to miss out and is keen for me to make her something too! If only there were enough hours in the day.....

This coming Week's challenge

This week I am at home with just two of the four children, that is going to be weird but they've got me on a tight schedule - swimming, shopping, opticians, more shopping, friends over......

Will I get the time for this week's baking challenge? I want to make a loaf from Jamie Oliver's book - a courgette and goats cheese number plus the Cider bread I didn't manage last week and a fruited tea loaf both from Richard Bertinet http://www.thebertinetkitchen.com/.

I also need to sew-up the now completed 10 inch cardi I have made (see last post) I will put a picture on when its complete!

Tiny Babies and Cricket Sweaters

I found out a couple of days ago that my sister's friend had a tiny baby, only 4lb 13oz so I have now put down my cricket sweater knitting and started on a 10" baby cardigan, it is SOOOOOO small. I managed the back in an hour and the left front in about the same. It is probably the smallest thing I have ever knitted apart from dolls clothes and I am hoping to finish it asap as I want to get it sent off. I have a lacy number to knit too so never a dull moment!

The Half finished bootees!

Busy Busy Busy

Today I have been pretty busy having a big bake! I have re-made the pain de mie because everyone loved it first time round and it all got eaten pretty quick, I've also made some Spelt Scones for a competition that shipton mill are running at the moment, I've taken a picture here and you can find the recipe I posted at http://www.shipton-mill.com/the-bakery/recipes under 'Light Spelt Scones'.

Just for a bit of a change I've been busy crocheting a pair of bootees for my cousin, they're only half finished but looking good. Hopefully I will get them posted off soon but I seem to be fast running out of time.

Oh and I am making a seeded bread today too using a ferment which takes 6 hours to do so I think I could be up 'til late getting it all done!

Success

The Pain De Mie was a success and I will definitely make it again, will try to add a photo soon!

Ta Da! Here it is!

Baking Bread

I am making a Pain De Mie right now and it actually smells as if it is burning! I hope that is not the case. Its one I've not made before so I am going to see how it turns out. I make all of my bread from one of two BRILLIANT books called Dough or Crust, both by Richard Bertinet.