Tuesday, 24 March 2020

Baking

Baking bread has become a hobby or necessity for many people now.  My dear traditional person tells me his facebook page is full of photos of other's efforts and all sorts of recipes, traditional and otherwise.

He has taken over the bread baking in this house.  I thought I would be pleased to be rid of that chore but his bread making has to follow exactly the recipe he is using and woe betide if I, his reluctant assisstant, offers a different idea.  So now I have to stand and watch his every move and hand over ingredients as he barks them out.  Yesterday I was told off because the water was in the wrong mug and it was cool and not warm.  Lord save my soul!!




However, I cannot complain about the result.  One kilo of flour, the peasant flour that we always order by the 25 kilo bag, makes three loaves of bread which at the moment will last us 3 days.  We seem to eat more bread now.  Is his bread tastier (no way is it better than mine) or is it just that eat more because we are milling around the kitchen a lot more


I attempted to make gingernuts.  A dismal show.
The ones on the right are small and far too soft.  The ones on the left are harder but need double the ginger.

Because we have no golden syrup I have to use runny honey instead and this alters the taste too.  I shall keep on trying though sacrificing a cup of good local honey on gingernuts grates a bit.

22 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Go and dig out that packet of gingernuts, or something even better, that you've got in your pantry! Rich tea is all we've got and those are greek.

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  2. Yum, I can just imagine the aroma, and the bread looks delicious. I'm looking for easy bread-baking recipes as we speak :)
    Stay well dear friend.
    Hugs,
    ~Jo

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    1. Our bread is not refined flour but the rest of it is just the usual, flour, water, salt and yeast. Instant yeast. Simple is delicious

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  3. Wish we had smellavision. They look amazing! More recipes for your cook book?

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    1. Those gingernuts need a lot of tweaking but if I get it right next time I'll post the recipe. But then, do you all need a gingernut recipe? I bet McVities makes the best

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  4. Gingernuts are meant to be good for preventing seasickness. Mcvitie's gingernuts are very scrumptious.

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    1. No chance to get sea sick anymore but I'll keep on trying to perfect them, and eat them!!

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  5. The wrong mug? Linda! How could you? I think it is great that he is getting involved, but I think it is even nicer that you are letting him into your kitchen. The bread looks great, I would happily munch on a great bit doorstep of it.

    If you want a fairly fiery gingernut then add more ginger and a little Cayenne Pepper, adds a lovely after-burn, but be cautious until you find the level of fire which suits your tastebuds.

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    1. He made the bread by himself this morning so maybe he's ok now to go alone. I hope so!!!
      I will add more ginger and the cayenne sounds good too. I shall start off very gingerly with it!!

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  6. I'm sure your husband appreciates your help, even if you use the wrong mug LOL.
    Even with golden syrup I've never been able to create a gingernut recipe I am happy with. I got a spice one that was close, so have settled for that. Bought gingernuts are not what they used to be, not nearly as nice now so I stopped buying them.

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    1. I think I'll try a little bit of cinnamon as well and the cayenne Elaine suggests, for a start. I'll buy some cheap honey for the next batch

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  7. I'm waiting for the recipe. Everything looks wonderful.

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    1. Ahaa, it is a very easy recipe. The easiest I could find, as usual. I don't like complicated recipes. Ill try it one more time and then post the recipe.

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  8. I don’t follow recipes so I too would get into trouble lol
    I cook by “feel”. I “feel” it could use some of this or that and in the end the outcome is never the same twice. But often it’s really really good.
    I’m thinking we are all eating much more these days

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    1. I never follow a recipe for bread and thats why he annoys me so much. I know how much water more or less, the yeast, and 'as much flour as it needs' which is the way all the old greek women cooK. There's that greek blood again!

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  9. The bread looks so good. Everyone seems to be baking brad at present. I used to bake all ours (for Max and me) but since going gluten free I have not made any).

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    1. We can get gluten free flour but it is very expensive. Fortunately we can still use the normal flour

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  10. The only bread I'm making at the moments is Pitta/Naan style flat breads. I haven't the patience to make bread like yours. It looks excellent.

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    1. My grandaughter made naan bread the other day and it was great...so they all said in their house, far away from us. You'll have to tell us how you make it - or have you already done that and I've forgotten? I'm going to try it in the next few days. Hot, fresh naan, mmm

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  11. Here in the states a lot of people are making bread. I love to make bread, but my problem has been finding flour. I have tried for 2 weeks - nothing. We are not on quite such a lock down as you are. Last night we had a phone emergency and so had to go to the next big town over, about 35 miles away. While we were there at the store, I looked and low and behold - they had some flour! Yay! I picked up two 5 pound bags, one of bread flour, the other of white whole grain. Now I can make bread and some cookies!

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    1. Hopefully the panic is over and all your stores will restock. Flour is an essential now, not only to make bread but to pass your time doing some baking....and eating lol

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