On Baking Bread
Baking is my absolute favorite kitchen activity. Well, I do like chopping veggies & fruit too but that’s still second to baking. Secretly I hope to enter baking contests when I’m retired. You know the little grandma who bakes the most delicious Blue Ribbon pies, tarts and cakes. I want to be her. My grandchildren will love me. But that’s years and years away so I have plenty of time to practice my craft. Thank goodness.
One of my recent training episodes has involved making homemade bread. From scratch. Not a mix. Not using a bread machine. The old fashioned way. The absolute best book I’ve found on the topic is Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. It’s like baking for dummies. And I mean that in the most positive sense.
I used their Master Recipe for the basic Boule and these were my very first loaves. The recipe makes 4 boules which are a little larger than a grapefruit but smaller than a cantaloupe. My shaping needs some work because I had two beautiful loaves and two not so pretty loaves. They were sort of oblong and weird. You can tell in the top photo. But…it was VERY easy and they were gobbled up in lickity split time so I don’t think anyone cared about the shape but me. And seriously, the smell of freshly baked bread is practically an aphrodisiac to everyone. Who could possibly fail with that scent wafting through the house?
44 Responses to “On Baking Bread”
OMG, Heather….they look heavenly and your house must have smelled divine!! Fresh baked bread? Yummy!!
There is nothing any better than the smell of homemade bread baking in the oven. Good for you Heather!
Hi Heather,
Those loaves looks so very yummy. Fortunately I have a little local bakery around the corner from my house. This works for me because I’m not so talented in the kitchen. Sometimes when the wind blows in the right direction I can get a whiff of whatever just came out of their oven.
Kelly
Second Hand Chicks
Oh My Good Golly ~
I stood in Borders for twenty minutes yesterday lost in THIS book and ended up not buying it…and this morning I read your review of these pages of yummy~ness…I love it. Guess I am heading back over to Borders. Thank you for sharing.
Smiles ~ Ramona
Your bread looks great. I love this book and have had great results baking bread with it. It’s the first time my loaves look like they came from a bakery! Enjoy them!
Yummmmmm……. Love Love Love fresh baked bread. Just had a childhood memory. It was a field trip to the Wonder Bread factory. I’ve never forgotten that wonderful smell. Thanks for the memories Heather!
Blessings… Ruth
Homemade bread…yum! I remember the first time I had homemade bread (I don’t think I even knew there was such a thing.) I was probably in elementary school and I was a very picky eater… try something new? I don’t think so! We were visiting my aunt and she baked some bread… the smell was like nothing I had ever smelled.. and when I took a bite… HEAVEN!! I think I ate half the loaf! Someday maybe I’ll try it :O)
I love baking bread. I usually make loaves…I have a special pan for that. Molding bread into shape is a lot harder. You have to be very forgiving of yourself!!!
xoxo
Jane
I tried their basic recipe a few times, but because it’s a no-knead bread, it seemed to have come out a bit on the heavy side, yours looks light and airy, was it sort of firm when you ate it?
Makes me think of my great grandma…. nothing was better than walking into her home and smelling fresh baked bread! Well…. until I got a big hug from her!
Thanks for sharing the book, I’ll have to check it out.
THANK YOU also for the great contributions to Flea Market Style… YUMMY!
Mikal
Heather your bread looks wonderful. I have been looking at this method for some time now and you have inspired me to get it on and make bread!
Heather –
I made that bread recipe several times and was amazed how easy it was and how great it turned out! And we do love that smell!
Love your blog!
-Sue
Hi Heather, What beautifully baked bread. I will certainly try your recipe as not only do we LOVE to eat fresh baked bread, I could bathe myself in its aroma! And I too have a desire to enter a pie baking contest. Every year before our rural county fair I say I’m going to do it – I even got some old antique farm animal molds for the theme…but hasn’t happened yet! Trina
I love this bread book and I make fresh bread every day using their method. My latest bread book that I just picked up is My Bread by Jim Lahey and I think you may enjoy it also. It has a bigger variety of artisan loaves but also may take a bit more time.
Patty
Back in my Hippie days, I used to bake bread (8 loaves!) every week. I even ground my own flour! There was only 2 of us in the house, but the freshly baked bread was irresistible and 1 or 2 loaves would disappear during the first hour. At this stage of my life, I can’t afford to eat so much bread calorically :o(( but I do love home made bread, or any baked goods for that matter. Maybe I can make a full recipe and distribute it to the neighbors, keeping one for myself.
OHHHHH JEEZ, Looks soooo goood I have always loved homemade bread (go figure since I am doing WW). Nothing better combined with creamy fresh butter. Better go get on the “dreadmill”.
Hugs,
Carol
I can smell the bread baking right now!
Yum!
From scratch is the only way!!
Rosemary
Oh yes, the smell of freshly baked bread is heavenly for sure. I am a fan of fresh bread and have tried to teach my children the joy one’s senses experiences when handling the dough, kneeding, baking, and finally enjoying a fresh loaf. A bit of a lost art in today’s busy world.
I think we are kindred spirits, as I too desire to be the Grandmother who’s baked goods are waited upon. (As My Grandmother was…) What a simple gift to pass on to someone. 🙂
Your post strikes me as serendipity today, as I just posted a “Daily Creative” action on my blog a couple of days ago about baking bread. (http://celebratelifeeveryday.com/210/ )
Thanks for the book recommendation- one I don’t have that one yet- and reminding us about the simple joys of life!
Warmly…
Erica
Your bread looks great. Love this bread book. I borrowed it from the library and then a girlfriend picked up for me at Chapters. I get it this week-end and can hardly wait. Try the challah- yummy.
Looks wonderful!
I love this cookbook. It’s so nice having the dough in the frig. if you want hot bread. Would you believe my g’kids don’t eat it but their parents sure do. Jan
I’ve made that very bread and it is AWESOME! The authors have a website and share lots of variations on the basic recipe. They even give the basic recipe online.
FYI–I discovered that covering the bread gives just as nice of a chewy crust as placing the pan of water in the oven. AND I’ve baked it on a stone and baked it in a covered roasting pan with wonderful results either way. You really can’t fail with this recipe. Who knew it was so easy??!
Heather~if you provide the boules…I’ll provide the crab bisque to fill them with.
Sweet wishes,
Sara
Heather, I have been baking bread since I was young, decades for sure. And this recipe has changed the way I bake forever.
I love the ease, and how tasty is is. Many thanks to the people who did all the research and came up with it.
Jen
I have that book, and have been wanting to give it a go! Your bread looks great! Can you tell me what kind of container you used for the big batch of dough, and where you bought it? Thanks! — Will you be revealing your coop any time soon?!
Beautiful! I share your passion for baking bread! I love the whole process, and when the fresh baked loaves are less than perfect, who’s to know, because the evidence is so quickly gone! :-))
I like to bake bread too.
My main reason was first to save money, but i realised that it’s fun! 🙂
/helena
your loaves look beautiful! you’re right the smell of bread in the oven is amazing!i use a no knead recipe. it sits for a long time so the flavor develops and you bake it in a hot pot. it’s just like artisan bread. i’m going to look up that book next time i’m at the bookstore. susan
There is nothing in this world like the smell of baking bread!
That bread looks delicious! I’ll have to see if they have that book at our library.
Heather that Bread looks lovely I’ll have to check out that book 5 mins is pretty nice!
I watched a show a bit ago called CHEF ACADEMY and they made Fabulous food ofcourse but the bread you could almost smell through the tele.
Here’s my little bread adventure..it must be in the weather…..
http://creativemusewhereinspirationsflourish.blogspot.com/2010/02/home-making.html
Warmly
Stacy~Creativemuse
No, the bread was perfect. I was surprised myself. Easy and delicious! 🙂 H
Thanks Mikal! H
Thanks Patty,
I’m going to look for that book. Now that I’m an expert and all. Wink, wink. H
Hollah! I love Challah.
Couldn’t resist.
But I do really love it.
Smiles,
H
I baked mine on a stone and did the hot water pan below. But thanks for the tips, will keep them in mind. Good to know it’s fool proof.
Smiles, H
Um, Yum.
That sounds like a good idea.
Smiles,
H
Hi Christi,
I used a large ceramic mixing bowl. I didn’t refrigerate my batch because I baked all 4 loaves at the same time.
But I heard you can get those restaurant lidded containers on Amazon.
What isn’t available on Amazon?
Smiles,
H
Yes, I’ve heard of baking them in a cast iron hot pot. Maybe I’ll give that a try next. 🙂 H
Who cares if the bread wasn’t pretty?!?
Please pass the butter and let’s get the party started!
Hi, Heather! My husband loves to bake and someone gave him that book for Christmas. It really is excellent. I’ve been enjoying all the bread he’s been making with it since! YUM. 🙂
I have made this before, and it does not last in my house!! Yummy!
Hi Heather,
I had to come back and say that I baked this bread yesterday and it was sooo good! I should have added a little more flour cause it was a little sticky to work. I only baked 2 loaves and will bake the other 2 Monday. The recipe says that if you keep it in the fridge for a few days it gets easier to work. We’ll see. Thanks for sharing.
yummy, yummy I am totally going to try to bake my first loaf. Thanks for the inspiration.
Comments are closed.