Welcome to #MadeItMonday, where I post something I’ve made in the previous week, and where you can join in and post something you made too! The rules are easy: post a pic somewhere of something you’ve made in the last week (ish; let’s say in the last month as the hard-and-fast) and tag it. Sit back and enjoy scrolling through all the beautiful things we’ve collectively created, and celebrate the fact that humans can be awesome! 🙂
Haven’t made a cake in a little while, shock of all shocks. I did make trifle *with* cake because of course, but that was cake from the freezer (I save the domes that are left over when I level off cakes, they keep in the freezer for 6+ months) because I didn’t have time to bake from scratch (hence trifle, which took about 3 mins to make jelly the night before, and about 10 mins to assemble before school the next day). Otherwise, not a whole of making happening around here the last week, or at least making of the variety that people care to see.
Segue – we are on a pretty strict budget for groceries this week, so I figured I’d make bread. I haven’t made some in a few months, and apparently I’d managed to forget the recipe WITHOUT REALISING I HAD. So I went merrily along, making the bread, and stirred it all together and was like – uh, this is WAY too wet.
I have no idea HOW MUCH extra water I put in, but it was quite a lot, maybe even close to double, because I had to add A LOT more flour to even things out. And then I dumped in an extra half packet of yeast just in case, because it seemed like a *lot* of dough for the amount of yeast I originally had, and then I figured it needed more seasonings, and and and and and.
And, basically, I am super surprised and kind of impressed that the bread actually turned out amazing. Turns out that after you’ve kneaded bread dough a few times, you really can get a feel for the right consistency and kind of just make things up! This, plus the repeated breakings-down of my bread machine earlier in the term, has really demystified the whole bread-making process for me, and I feel like it’s totally not scary anymore, which is awesome 🙂 The only thing wrong with this load was that I didn’t add *quite* enough extra salt for it to taste quite perfect. But it’s still pretty good. 🙂
RECIPE (for actuals, not with the wrong amount of water!)
(Oh look, I’ve posted this before >.< BUT this is the new-and-improved updated version, m’kays?)
1 pkt yeast
3TB brown sugar (yes brown, the flavour difference is actually significantly better than bread made with white)
1.5c warm water
Dump into a large bowl and let sit somewhere warmish for 10 mins. Then add:
3c plain/all purpose flour
1/2c gluten flour
1-2TB melted butter
A lot more salt than you think you need. For reference, I grind the salt shaker 32 times for this sized loaf 😉
Stir it all until it comes together enough that you can get your (clean) hands in and start to ball it up. It shouldn’t be sticky. If it’s sticky and catching a lot on your hands, add more flour, a little at a time.
Dump it onto the bench or wherever (clean) and knead for 15 mins. This sounds intimidating, but you don’t have to pummel it, just push it around a bit. I get into a left right left right sort of rhythm, pushing almost sideways across in front of me. You’re supposed to be stretching more than pummelling, but kind of moderately squashing from side to side seems to work okay for me. I have, like, ZERO upper body stamina (zero body stamina full stop :P) and I can do this for 15 mins just fine, though if you have weak wrists consider using a free-standing mixer.
If at any point it feels sticky, add more flour. It should get paler and softer, and the last few mins should be noticeably easier than the previous.
Oil the boil so it won’t stick and pop the bread back in there to rise somewhere warmish for 30 mins. Poke it down and shape it into a loaf, then let it rise again for another 30 mins, then pop it into a moderate oven for about 30 mins, or until it’s developed a nice crust and sounds hollow when you tap the bottom of it. A giant loaf, like I accidentally made this weekend, might take 40 mins to bake. ALSO, if you put a tray of water in the bottom of the oven, the steam will help the crust to develop even better 🙂
Om! And also, nom!
What have you made this week? (It doesn’t have to be fancy!!) Don’t forget to tag your contribution, or even better, leave a link in the comments!! I love seeing what inspiring things other people have made 🙂 🙂 🙂