Make The Dough, Will You!

I have been trying to get my sisters to start making the dough, based on ABI5M a Day method. I have simplified the recipe and changed the language into, hopefully, a very workable one. I email-ed the recipe, I talked to them, I explained to them, I elaborated on so many different things that they could create and I also sent them pictures after pictures. To this date, nothing has happened.

Yesterday, they asked for the recipe again and the recipe with more explanations were given to them. This morning, when I chatted with them online, they still do not have the materials in hand, as well as the time. How sad!



Today is Ash Wednesday, again. One year has gone by really quickly. I had a sick kid at home, a mass to attend and groceries to buy before heading back before noon. The princess was still asleep by the time I got back. I had a bread to bake, a bowl of dough to prepare and a quick check up on my emails. Here's another bread, the one that I baked today. Go and make the dough sis!

Not Buying Bread

A day that started so well, could end up bad. Vice versa. At my age, I'm still learning to deal with that. It's life, let's get on.

I have been diligently maintaining some stock of bread dough in the fridge over the past weeks. I don't always end up baking them after discovering that I could also make delicious pan grilled flat bread. My favorite is with garlic. Brush some butter on both sides while grilling, they are so good for snacks or appetizers. They do not look too appetizing on pictures though, the right time to put "do not judge the book by its cover!" as caption in case I have the picture up.

Anyway, we like to pan-grill cheese bread as well, mostly using ciabatta from the shop across the street, with some grated cheddar. Just like everything else in this country and around the region, the price of ciabatta has gone up by around 30% compared to last year. As for the size, it has shrunk a little bit since we got back from our Summer holiday. Its price has been kept at the same level. Just another reason to bake bread at home. Anticipating grilled cheese bread for breakfast tomorrow morning, I used half of the dough that I have, to bake a bread.

So, another bread picture, with my new tea towel, , I used 1/4 cup of olive oil to substitute the water of the same amount, it gives smoother texture (and more calories!).

Back To Bread

Looking at Kitt's blog a couple days ago has taken me back into bread baking again. Had the salami sandwich for lunch yesterday.



Yum! The crust was crusty, crunchy & delicious! Umh...

Bread & More Bread

Just last last week, I made this cheese bread, using two types of cheddar and parmesan, twice. In both times, the breads were snapped up before even they cooled down. It's a combination of three hungry children and being impatient. And of course the bread was really yummy. Even Kitt couldn't resist it too.

And....



I also made this bread. Not as good looking as Kitt's yet, hopefully I'll get there in no time. I'll keep on baking!

I am a bit (or more) obsessed! I had never baked bread as often as I have been doing over the past couple of weeks. I got so excited over employing different ways of baking each time and trying to see which one yield which type of texture and crust. I used both Le Creuset and Corning Ware. The bread turned out great while my French Oven as well as Corning Ware are doing fine, no chipping or cracking whatsoever.

I love the convenience of having the dough stored in the fridge and being able to use them almost anytime I want. I just need to plan 1.5-2 hours ahead and I will be able to deliver delicious home made bread, pizza or cheese bread or some other future variations to be experimented.

I am in love with this recipe, more than the one from NYT, both of which have similar composition with main difference in the amount of yeast.

I gotta stop making bread.... Not in the near future though!

A Quicker No-Knead Bread

Call me obsessed or impulsive, I just couldn't wait much longer to start making the bread using the recipe on Kitt's blog . I wouldn't be able to sleep unless I tried the recipe! I started around 6:30PM, it happened that we didn't have dinner together, my husband was out of town and my three girls had three different schedules and everyone had dinner upon arriving late afternoon from school and ran off to their activities. I halved the recipe and at the beginning I was not going to bake the bread that very evening, knowing that I could store the dough in the fridge and I would have many days to bake them.

I was pleased seeing how much the dough has risen after two hours and decided to go on and fold it twice and let it rest for another 10-15 minutes. Of course, I continued with shaping it into a ball and letting it rest for 45 minutes while I started warming up my dutch oven. By the time I put the dough in the oven, it was already 9:30 PM.

Out of excitement, I forgot to slash a cross on top of the bread, I only used a kitchen scissors to make a couple of small slits. After baking it with the lid on for 20 minutes and uncovered for another 15 minutes, of course it was already past my youngest daughter's bed time. Not mommy's, she couldn't resist tasting it as soon as it was ready. Mommy just have to have a bit! It was great, the crust was just crunchy and the inside was just incredibly yummy!! The pictures weren't that great though, taken after 10PM without natural light. But now I know I could have a good and peaceful night sleep!! And next time, I will leave the dough in the fridge for a while to improve its texture and taste.

Thanks to Kitt and to "Artisan Bread" authors Jeff Hertzberg and Zoë François.
This is a recipe that I will use again and again.

Finally, No Knead Bread

I took me about a year upon learning the existence of the recipe, that I finally bake the No Knead Bread. I was pretty much inspired by Jaden's blog, Steamy Kitchen. I thought, if her cute little boy can do it, I should be able to do it as well. ??!!?? Yes, of course.

Of course, I had to run to get my Le Creuset first, which by far the heaviest kitchen gadget I have ever had, also not to forget to drag my husband along to the shop to make sure that I have someone to help me carry that heavy equipment from the shop to the car and ultimate to the house. Finally, I started to embark on my long & exciting 18-hour journey to my first No Knead Bread. A satisfying one indeed!

Will make more!