Fed up of shop-bought stodge and put off by the high price of fresh bread in the local bakers I decided that baking my own bread would be a better alternative.
Filled with enthusiasm I purchased the River Cottage Handbook No.3 Bread by Daniel Stevens, a useful little book full of lovely recipes and advice to help you bake great bread.
Unfortunately my first attempt was terrible and in hindsight I should have chosen to start with a basic white loaf but, no, full of enthusiasm I made Rye bread. I put a lot of effort into making two loaves, and made a lot of mistakes. I didn’t realise that the yeast I had needed to be activated prior to adding to the mix, our kitchen was too cold for the bread to rise properly and I didn’t leave it long enough to prove before baking. I ended up with two brick-like loaves that wouldn’t have looked out of place in a dry stone wall!
Disheartened, but not discouraged, my second attempt was a wholemeal seeded loaf (pictured). This time I actually activated the yeast, put the dough in the airing cupboard to rise, and made sure it had definitely proved before baking. The finished loaf was a little dense (considering I had allowed it to rise twice) but it was at least edible.
Despite my family suggesting that I give up bread-making and take up knitting (thanks guys!) I am determined to keep trying to make the perfect loaf. Over the last couple of weeks I have successfully made a lovely pizza base and a tasty focaccia. These successes have given me the confidence to keep trying. After all, practice makes perfect.
I would love to hear about your bread-making experiences and would appreciate any advice that you have for making your own bread at home. Please comment below.
