Farmers Market Month, Day 7: Bread

[rachelmanija]

I made bread from this recipe: My Mother's Peasant Bread. It was so easy, not a hassle as I wasn't planning to go anywhere anyway, and quite fascinating to do. I used a single two-quart bowl as I didn't have a one-quart. (The recipe says that's fine.)



After the second rising, it felt resilient, elastic, almost velvety, and somehow alive when I poked it, like some sea creature. Only dry rather than slimy.

It was a little doughy when I first sliced it, so I popped it back in the oven for five minutes and then it came out perfect:



The inside is light and fluffy, the crust is chewy, and the flavor is a pleasant, non-tangy bread-flavor. And that is exactly how I like my bread. I had some with butter, and some with browned butter/brown sugar.



It was so good that I had another slice with black sesame spread, and that was AMAZING.



I may never buy bread again.

Comments

[pameladean]

That's a beautiful loaf. And yes, that's one of my favorite parts of making bread, the strange springy live feel of the dough.

P.

[daidoji_gisei]

Given the right recipe and a small amount of care, bread will practically make itself. I'm glad your first loaf turned out so well for you!

I followed your link and it looks very interesting; I'm going to try it myself. If you feel like experimenting I urge you to use her cornmeal variation as a guide (cornmeal yeasted breads are wonderful, by the way) and play around with other flours.

RE: cakes vs bread: My mother very, very rarely made cakes. In college I met my best friend who one day casually mentioned that her mother had made all of her birthday cakes and I was just stunned--I hadn't even realized that such a thing was possible. But Mom made bread and cinnamon rolls every once in a while, and that was my inspiration for learning how to bake bread in my college years.

[sartorias]

That looks DELICIOUS!

I so love fresh bread just cooked.

[slashmarks]

Fresh bread is so good! And the texture is amazing.

For a while in school I was making my own bread every week, but unfortunately I don't have the time/energy now. Also, my wrists do not like kneading.

[lilacsigil]

I love that texture of alive, springy dough! I am making pizza tonight and I'm looking forward to it even more now!

[asakiyume]

Wow, it looks as good as it must taste!

[musesfool]

It looks delicious! I'm so glad you found an easy recipe you like!

[vass]

I've tried that recipe! It's great. Way easier than anything else I've tried (I am not good at baking.)

If you get curious and start wanting to try other recipes, there are various ones flying around where instead of kneading, you leave the dough in the fridge overnight with a loose lid. They're also good and easy.

[cofax7]

That feeling of a live dough is wonderful, and it's a shame so many people are nervous about bread-baking (or they were). I learned to bake sweet things from my mother, but nothing with yeast until a friend in high school showed me how easy it was. I don't make a lot of bread by hand these days, but I use my bread machine a lot, and rarely buy it anymore. It's nice to know exactly what you're eating.

Protip: Buy gluten, yeast, and buttermilk powder in bulk and keep them in the freezer. They'll keep a long time. Oh, and you might want to get some nonfat dry milk, that often shows up in bread recipes.

You inspire me: I have a couple of bananas in the freezer I can use for a yeasted banana bread in my machine overnight. Fresh banana-walnut bread for breakfast, yay!

My favorite bread book is Bernard Clayton's Big Book of Breads. Tons of recipes from all over, clear directions, almost always successful.

[illariy]

That looks and sounds amazing. I am so delighted to hear this!