Bread Making "Machine"
If you don't know what to do, make a list....
But I would suggest that, "if you can not sleep, make a loaf of bread!" So I did exactly that one early morning at 3.30am. It felts like a master baker working at the dawn of the day!!
I have been thinking (as well as reading) a lot about bread making for a long time. I do have a bread making machine and used it for various occasions. But it is getting boring to have not much involvement in the process of making a loaf! So I decided to give the bread machine away and make breads with my own hands instead! It is a skill that I really want to master, I have been thinking, maybe one day I will have a small cafe selling some fresh home-made breads...
The result...I enjoyed it immensely! I made one loaf of poppy seeds braided bread, an assorted country grain breads with sesame and pumpkin seed toppings. This is my favourite bread recipe, quite easy to follow...
Ingredients: (Make one medium loaf or be divided to make several smaller loafs)
The Process:
Sift flour (Ignore this step if you are using country grain from Allinson flour) and salt into a bowl, make a well. Add the yeast in the well and gently pour the milk and oil in the centre. Stir with a wooden spoon until the dough begins to come together.
Add poppy seeds (or any other seeds) and stir until fully combined. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 mins. Add flour if needed to make a smooth and elastic dough.
Brush a clean bowl with some oil. Shape the dough into a ball, and put it in the bowl. Cover and leave it to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or so (or until it double in volume).
Oil a baking tray/sheet. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knock back and knead for 1 to 2 minutes.
To make a braided bread. Divide the dough into 3 equal portions and shape each into a rope of ± 20mm long. Place the ropes side by side and press together at one end. Plait the dough and pinch the other end together and tuck underneath.
You could also experiment with various other shapes (click to read more) and toppings.
Put the loaf on the prepared baking sheet, cover and leave to rise in a warm place for 30 minutes. Meanwhile pre-heat the oven to 200'C.
For topping: Beat 1 egg yolk with 1 tbsp milk and sugar each. Use various seeds for topping.
Bake the loaf in the oven for 30 minutes until golden brown. Tap the bottom of the loaf, if it sounds hollow, the bread it ready to be removed from the oven. (for smaller loaf, reduce the time of baking)
Transfer the bread to a wire rack and leave to cool.
Seriously, nothing beat a loaf of fresh home-made bread with some home-made jam!
But I would suggest that, "if you can not sleep, make a loaf of bread!" So I did exactly that one early morning at 3.30am. It felts like a master baker working at the dawn of the day!!
I have been thinking (as well as reading) a lot about bread making for a long time. I do have a bread making machine and used it for various occasions. But it is getting boring to have not much involvement in the process of making a loaf! So I decided to give the bread machine away and make breads with my own hands instead! It is a skill that I really want to master, I have been thinking, maybe one day I will have a small cafe selling some fresh home-made breads...
The result...I enjoyed it immensely! I made one loaf of poppy seeds braided bread, an assorted country grain breads with sesame and pumpkin seed toppings. This is my favourite bread recipe, quite easy to follow...
Ingredients: (Make one medium loaf or be divided to make several smaller loafs)
- 225g strong bread flour ( to make different types bread, you could experiment with different types of flour)
- 1 tbsp salt
- 175 lukewarm milk
- 1 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp dried yeast
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 5 tbsp poppy seeds (for the poppy seed braided bread) (or for the topping)
- Sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds for various toppings
The Process:
Sift flour (Ignore this step if you are using country grain from Allinson flour) and salt into a bowl, make a well. Add the yeast in the well and gently pour the milk and oil in the centre. Stir with a wooden spoon until the dough begins to come together.
Add poppy seeds (or any other seeds) and stir until fully combined. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 mins. Add flour if needed to make a smooth and elastic dough.
Brush a clean bowl with some oil. Shape the dough into a ball, and put it in the bowl. Cover and leave it to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or so (or until it double in volume).
Oil a baking tray/sheet. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knock back and knead for 1 to 2 minutes.
To make a braided bread. Divide the dough into 3 equal portions and shape each into a rope of ± 20mm long. Place the ropes side by side and press together at one end. Plait the dough and pinch the other end together and tuck underneath.
You could also experiment with various other shapes (click to read more) and toppings.
Put the loaf on the prepared baking sheet, cover and leave to rise in a warm place for 30 minutes. Meanwhile pre-heat the oven to 200'C.
For topping: Beat 1 egg yolk with 1 tbsp milk and sugar each. Use various seeds for topping.
Bake the loaf in the oven for 30 minutes until golden brown. Tap the bottom of the loaf, if it sounds hollow, the bread it ready to be removed from the oven. (for smaller loaf, reduce the time of baking)
Transfer the bread to a wire rack and leave to cool.
Seriously, nothing beat a loaf of fresh home-made bread with some home-made jam!
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