Monday 12 November 2007

Baker of the Year

Won't be pursuing a career in the art of breadmaking, then!!

I used strong, white bread flour (Sue Lawrence recipe) and the bread has turned out a greyish colour inside. The crust is, err, VERY CRUSTY!! Enough to knock someone out if they were unfortunate enough to be whacked over the head with it. Other uses? Door stop comes to mind.

It was ok yesterday...straight out of the oven...dunked in soup. Today I find that it has morphed into plaster of paris.

Off to google on how to get a softer loaf. It will probably say "Don't bother, Min. Save yer teeth and just go and buy one!!"

Have to get a door lock for Houdini the cat, too. Pesky little thing!! And caught Popeye grooming himself today and he is, ahem, a big lad!! Vet appointment coming up!!

7 comments:

Deb said...

Softer crust: replace some of the water in the recipe with milk (or add milk powder); turn down the oven after the first few minutes (once you've got the rise that happens early in baking); brush milk or butter over the crust as soon as you take it out of the oven; cool it under a cloth or cover of some sort so the moisture is held in the air around the crust as it cools - any of the above, alone or in combination, will result in a softer crust.

Unknown said...

Hi there!
Just saying hello - we're almost neighbours by the looks of it ;-)
And I go to Corsham most Saturdays...

R said...

oh I made bread in a breadmaker yeasterdayand it came out all heavy and wet..not too appetising..I think I'm a curse on the breadmaker because when the other half does it it all comes out smelling of roses! (not literally of course) lol

R said...

ok my subconscious is out of control..I swear *yeasterday* was a typo!!!!!

Aqeela said...

The same happened with mine too, grey inside, hard as a hammer on the outside. My bread maker will be finding its way onto ebay this week!

Ruth said...

I was going to add my two pennorth worth and thought better of it then thought ..nah I will. Too much kneading ( therapeutic as it is)can make it heavy too.

Minnie said...

Thanks for the info, everyone. I will give it a bash and let you know if I succeed:O) xx