I blogged back in October last year about how I’d started making my own bread from scratch, and I haven’t stopped! I still haven’t graduated to sourdough yet (my one attempt was poorly timed in retrospect, it was right in the middle of everyone panic-buying flour and things around when coronavirus was really becoming a thing, and I didn’t want to waste a whole bunch of flour), but I’ve settled into a delicious routine with the “Saturday Overnight White Bread” recipe. I’m using 20% whole wheat flour, have bumped the water from 780mL to 790mL, and use a full quarter teaspoon of yeast (the recipe says “a scant quarter”). It’s at the point where I don’t even need to look at the recipe, I’ve got the timings and measurements totally memorised.
As well, Kristina bought me a pair of proofing baskets for Christmas last year, and MAN do they make a difference! They help keep the shape of the loaf and also wick moisture from the surface of it, which makes the crust come out even better. Feast your eyes on these beauties.
My associated lunches have been excellent as well, they’re primarily either cheese and tomato toasties with a recent addition of capsicum, or mushrooms cooked in a frying pan with garlic, sage, and rosemary, sitting on top of thickly-sliced tomato (also cooked in a frying pan) with crumbled up sharp cheddar cheese on top.
Beanie has gotten to know the exact sound of a knife cutting through bread, because whenever I start he’s over into the kitchen like a shot waiting for crumb fallout and also the tiny useless end-piece we always give him.
