Hey there my fellow bakers! It's your friendly neighborhood amateur baker back at it again with some experience to share from the bread- making battlefield. Today's bread practice takes us down the windy road of artisan yeast bread, where I successfully managed to create a bread that could give Uncle Sam a run for his money. Well, almost.
Now if you've been following my previous bread post, I haven't really shared all the details of my bread adventure experience. Bread baking is like navigating a maze blindfolded. Its a glorious whirlwind of flour storms, sticky dough mishaps, and occasional triumph with the oven gods! For me, it is also an opportunity to leave behind a legacy of bread baking notes that future generations may someday cherish. Or you know, laugh at!
So, relying on my trusty book recipes and an unyielding determination, i decided to make again the artisan yeast bread. This is my fourth time creating this bread, but unfortunately two of them were regrettably unsuccessful. My husband and I absolutely love this bread. It's the kind that makes your taste buds do a happy dance, your neighbor peek through your window wondering if they can snag a slice (only my neighbors are deer and squirrels!), and your kitchen smells like a bakery straight out of a fairy tale. Or, at least, that's the dream.
The first step, as always, was gathering my ingredients. Flour? Check. Yeast? Check. Water? Check. Salt? Check. And the most important ingredient of them all - optimism! With everything set, i rolled up my sleeves, flour dusting the kitchen counter like a poetic haze, and set to work.
The dough mixing process was surprisingly uneventful this time. Maybe it was a sign that the bread gods were finally smiling upon me. Or maybe Lady Luck realized I desperately needed a break from unsual dough fiascos. Whatever the reason , I didn't question it! I simply embraced the serenity while it lasted.
After a little over twenty four hours of folding and proofing process, it's now time to shape the dough and transfer it to the ultimate cast iron pan. When the time comes to unveil my creation, I bated my breath, then removed the dough from the cast iron pot, hoping for some aroma of success to wait through the kitchen. And there it was - a beautiful round bread. I think Uncle Sam would be proud.
But, alas not all was as perfect as it seemed. As i admired my masterpiece, I noticed the charred edges (a little over baked), the result of a too-dark brown crust. It turns out that uncovering the pot a little longer is too cozy for my bread's liking. Lesson learned, bread gods. (sigh) Lesson learned.
So grateful for the local farmer in town for this delicious tomatoes!
Undeterred, my husband and I devoured the evidence of my bread-baking experience, darkened crust and all. It was still deliciously warm and somehow satisfying homemade. And if a few slices happened to resemble a bit scorched pieces of modern art, well, I considered it a bonus. Lol! Who needs a picture-perfect bread anyway? That's so overrated!
Ham and cheese sandwich with fresh microgeens arugula from my little indoor garden
So, my my fellow bread enthusiasts, let us raise our flour-coated aprons to the joy of making mistakes and embracing imperfections in the kitchen. Because in the end, it's the taste that matters most, not the uniform shade brown on the crust.
Until the next bread adventure, my friends. Stay doughlicious!
Xo,
Gil
Welcome to my short blogs, a space where I share inspiring posts that you won't find on my blog page. If you're in the mood for longer reads, feel free to visit Purepinay's blog page.