Breadmakers

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Edit: Ha! Making my first recipe of artisan bread! It's now in the fridge...can't wait to try it out tomorrow. But it's 1:30am, so off to bed!!

We want to know how it comes out!

I made a loaf of 'regular' kneaded yeast bread last night- came out pretty good.
We had it for dinner- fresh from the oven with butter, and navel oranges. That's it- just bread and oranges and tea for dinner last night! It was like a nice picnic!

Tulip- which recipe is that?

[tulip]

It's a variation of a recipe that is an adaptation of a recipe from Artisan Bread in 5 minutes...I got it from the NYT. I substituted some whole wheat flour for some of the white flour. It's soooo good. I make small loaves because it's just for me, and I wouldn't put it past myself to eat a whole regular-sized loaf all by myself. This one will be gone with tonight's soup.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Ok I think I am getting this Artisan bread technique a little better now that I have the book.
My dough batch came out better this time, more elastic, and I understood how to 'cloak the loaf' now.

Look how pretty my simple boule came out this time!




If I can coax it to puff up a bit more with more bubbles inside the loaf, it'll then be perfect. But it was pretty good, nice and chewy and moist but with a crisp crust.
We ate half of it with chicken soup for dinner just now, and DH said he just LOVED it.

This afternoon while my car was getting fixed we went to a couple of good kitchen shops and I bought a few kitchen goodies to help with bread baking...a new bread knife, parchment paper, a peel, dough cutter, some new cutting boards, etc. It's a pleasure to cook when you have the right tools.

[Tuckervill]

That is one beautiful loaf!

I've been slacking. I'd better get back to it.

Karen

[deedolce]

Wow, that boule is gorgeous!! Looks like it came from a bread book or food magazine!

I'm sooo hooked on this bread, Lisa! I don't think I'll ever go back to the old recipes I've been doing for decades! This is my 2nd batch as the first one turned into 3 mini loaves, now eaten with gusto by my household. This is still the basic recipe, except I changed out 1 cup of Seminole flour and added a sprinkling of brown sugar. I also do less salt, and coated it with olive oil than sprinkled it with Parmesan cheese and sea salt. Yummers! I know I HAVE to get the book soon...as for now, I'm collecting ideas from their site. Seriously, this is the best bread EVER! So easy, it's pure genius!

[GLC1968]

Lisa and Deedolce - both your loaves look delicious!!

This was my favorite bread from the book so far (rosemary and onion focaccia), but the herb bread (basic boule with fresh rosemary and thyme mixed into the dough) was a close second!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Deedolce- that looks so yummy too! Ooooohhhhh....sprinkled with parm and sea salt- be still my beating heart!!

I was so inspired last night when we ate my bread and my husband was just SO HAPPY and kept saying how much he loved that I made the bread and how good it was. That's what makes me really want to make it regularly now.

I love herb bread and cheese bread, olive bread, etc. But I know my husband loves the plain bread best, so I will have to sneak in variations very subtly. He really went nuts over that simple boule bread from the basic recipe.
I did find the basic recipe that said it makes 4 one pound loaves- well it makes THREE SMALL loaves really. (unless you think a loaf of bread should be the size of a grapefruit). So the next one tomorrow I will work with a larger piece and see if I can get a larger boule yet still have it baked through inside. Maybe I'll make it oval instead of round, to help it bake better.

I love that the ingredients are so cheap that you can feel free to experiment.
We figured it cost about $1.50 a loaf. Our local bakery sells theirs for $3-$4.50 per loaf. Of course there is always CHEAP bread in the supermarket, but that's often kind of a joyless eating experience.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

He willingly gave his life to make others happy....

[sgtiger]

You're cracking me up, Lisa! Looks delicious, although I try not to eat things that still have their head/face still on.

[deedolce]

Ha!! So funny, Lisa. Reminds me of something from the Wizard of Oz books I read as a kid.

[ZenSojourner]

Seriously, this is the best bread EVER! So easy, it's pure genius!

You are officially in violation of the UN Convention Against Torture!

NOW CUT THAT OUT!!!

[deedolce]

Ha! Too late! I ate the evidence...

[crazycanuck]

I bought the following book & am ready to give breadmaking a shot. River Cottage Handbook no 3, Bread by Daniel Stevens. (I really should footnote properly shouldn't I...)

[ZenSojourner]

Well I bought yeast and bread flour yesterday. So I MUST be ready to bake!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Well I bought yeast and bread flour yesterday. So I MUST be ready to bake!

Keep us posted!