It seems that I have a problem and am unable to write a new post. I'm attaching this to the last one I did as I am able to edit my blog but they changed something and I can't find the 'new post" button. I know that I can just delete the previous blog but I like having all of my posts in order to know what I did yesterday....... So, stay tuned.....(I'm still making bread ).
I've been waiting over a month to get bread flour and yeast. My diligent
searching finally paid off and City Market came through with the flour. Amazon allowed me to buy TWO pounds of Red Star yeast at TWICE the regular price.
I've studied the basic boule' recipe and yesterday, I mixed up a batch of wet sticky dough. I had to follow the high altitude directions which gave me a lot of doubt about achieving a successful final product. I let it refrigerate over night to rise slowly ( at HA, it would rise too rapidly at room air and I used less yeast and more water)......(at the rate of 1/2 TBSP of yeast per batch, I can live to be 102 and still have some left over).
This morning, I formed a lovely little ball, thinking it was going to be a bun instead of a loaf but still following the precise directions and comparing the pictures. After about 45 min, it blossomed beautifully into a round sturdy loaf. Then I was to cut slashes into it....not sure why but they looked good in the pictures. Well, drawing a serrated knife across sticky dough does not result in neat gashes. But whatever....... It went onto a 450 degree preheated pizza stone with pan of steaming water underneath. I hovered for the next 30 min.
And then, it was done !!
The recipe makes enough for 4 loaves so I'm baking up the rest of the dough for the neighbors. I have to say that it was very easy despite my constant angst. The bread is crusty/chewy on the outside with lots of holes on the inside for strawberry jam.
My mother made bread every Monday, enough to last a week to feed a family of 6. She also made caramel rolls and buns. And she didn't need a recipe, nor a fancy mixer, nor a pizza stone. And it was much better than mine.
