A Bit of Baking

Today is Bread Making day, I usually do this about every 5 or so days, funnily enough the bread I make keeps for about 5 days without preservatives, but supermarket bread (Not the Stayfresh stuff) seems to keep for a lot less time, WITH preservatives. Any way before I did that I took my two Labs out for a walk to the coast. Its about 10 minutes away and at 6 this morning was very quiet and quite breathtaking

Last night I made a ferment from Richard Bertinets “Dough” book, sort of my bread bible, I like his style and method, its precise but easy, and once you've done it a few times very simple. So today I completed the dough and left it to rise.

I also started a fruit loaf using Paul Munseys excellent Apple and Cinnamon flour, with added mixed fruit and using milk and honey instead of water (Still 350g for 500g of flour) I always weigh liquids as you do get a better loaf.   Heres His Website Wessex Mills

While that was sorting itself out I had some Chilli plants to pot on

and a few other bits to do but after about 90 minutes the dough was nicely risen and ready for shaping. I'm making two Ciabatta loaves and one Stromboli, the two loaves are made as normal but the third one is done like this.

Oil an oven tray and put your dough on it, stretching it out to cover, you may need to repeat as the

gluten in the dough doesn't like being stretched like this and tends to contract.

Once you have got it flat cover it with tomato paste and a sprinkle of mixed herbs. Top with grated cheese and small pieces of Sausage (I used Chorizo, cos its all I had)

Roll into a Swiss roll shape, seam down, and cover to prove while the oven heats up to 220 degrees

If you have any bread left over from your last baking day, you can dry it in the oven as its heating up, either in thin slices that you blitz for breadcrumbs or if you cube it and splash with Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar the result is superb croutons for soup/salads. Keep an eye on them and keep turning so they dry without burning

Leave the bread for 45 minutes to prove then put into the oven, Check after 20 minutes ( I have to turn

mine because the oven is uneven), but the Ciabatta and Stromboli should be done in 25-30 mins and

the fruit loaf in 35 ish. Your oven may vary, so treat all my times/temperatures as approximate.

And here they are, first the Stromboli,

  And the fuit loaf

Thats all for today, hope there has been some inspiration for you, I'm off to do some quality control.