[New shoot]

Todays bake    Milk bread currant buns in the background for OH's packed lunches 

[compostqueen]

Cor they look lush 

Ta for that info Scribbler.  I like the sound of "Thermomix"    I shall have a good read of it and give it a whirl

I made Dan's white leaven loaf, using his leaven recipe, and it's way tasty and definitely the sourest of the ones I've made so far.  I thought it was too hard but as we're supposed to eat these the following day, it was better left.  I did toast it though (as he has done in the photo) on a cast iron griddle with a drizzle of olive oil and a rub of garlic.

The mill loaf will be massive, judging by the instructions 

[compostqueen]

Forgot to say, but I've just started on the Real Ale bread.  It only used half the bottle of ale so my other half drank it with his lunch of homemade soda bread, and crisps    He had to get a lift into town for the match. He had intended driving but thought better of it after having had the beer.  He said the Brakspear was lovely by the way 

I made the usual recipe loaf today but with 8 seed flour.  I forgot to slash the top so it's burst out all over the place in random fashion, so not the best looking loaf I've ever made 

[compostqueen]

Here's the two real ale breads made using Dan L's recipe.
Two very different outcomes though I did one using the long route with the kneading for a few seconds per go and the other I kneaded it for about 7 minutes to get it smooth and elastic. The short, fast kneads resulted in a tighter crumb while the one longer knead resulted in the more open holey texture.  I've only tasted the first one (loaf tin) and it's delicious, and the beer does come through. It smells wonderful too and the kitchen was a happy place to be      

Got another bottle of bottle conditioned beer to have another go. This time its a Fullers 1845
I also spied a different one in the Co-op just now so scope for more experiments    

[Scribbler]

That's interesting - how much kneading I do depends on the time available. Perhaps I ought to do it longer.

The white flour and spelt starter is a lovely combination.

Divided, fed and refrigerated all three starters this morning - don't think prolonged inactivity at room temperature does them any good.

[compostqueen]

I've got a bag of organic white and a spelt in fresh today.  The ale starter is a good one, very active indeed     Yep, they can't sit long on the worktop without being fed. They sulk if you don't dance attention on them   

I read the other day that as well as making bread from ale that you can reverse the process and make ale from a sourdough starter.  Fancy that ! 

These breads are slicing very well, having been left wrapped for a day.  I'm managing to slice them quite thin for my sarnis (I'm trying to cut my bread intake believe it or not  )  My husband prefers a doorstop slathered in butter of course   

[Scribbler]

Instead of tipping the surplus starter down the sink, I could have made pancakes with it!!!

[compostqueen]

You'll remember next time   

[Scribbler]

CQ: Don't understand what a fart stitch is!

Also don't understand why Auntie wasn't down on you like the proverbial tone of bricks. She's normally very strict.

Hoping to do a white flour and spelt starter job tomorrow, except form it into rolls instead of a loaf. This will be for packed lunches in Yorkshire. Mrs S had the temerity to say that home-made bread doesn't work for sandwiches so well.

[compostqueen]

Ssssh she'll hear you

Oh it's just a very local term for "minute detail",  say for example if someone is questioning you closely about some gossip and they want every tiny detail. We'll say they wanted to know "every fart stitch"  I have no idea where the term originated

I did the milk loaf but as rolls the other day. Lovely they were too.  I did the bog standard recipe last night (the one you sent me with mixed flours) and we had that with our curry.

The sourdoughs slice very well the day after making I reckon. Temerity indeed!  I'd sulk if I was you    Perhaps it could be the justification you need to invest in a "kitchen surfer" 

[compostqueen]

I'm making a sourdough most days now, from various flours and with real ales, or malt extract, black treacle.  Playing around really but making some great tasting breads. I made a lovely sourdough granary yesterday with bottle conditioned real ale and it's lovely - ever better today! 

I made a wholemeal soda today, prompted by the Fab Baker Bros programme from the Cotswolds last night. He made a soda to go with some potted smoked trout.  I got the recipe from Ch4 website and made it up this morning.  It's absolutely delish and quick to make as it's a soda, with no need to prove etc, just bung in the oven.They used a baking stone but I don't have one so just ignored that bit. It turned out just fine

Here it is. I have tried a bit and it's lush. 

[Scribbler]

Back to making white flour/spelt starter loaf yesterday. Not my best, but great taste.

The starters survived a week in the fridge quite well, but I did feed them just before going away.

What does anyone make of Paul Hollywood's first couple of programmes?

[Mrs Bee]

Cor they look lush 

Ta for that info Scribbler.  I like the sound of "Thermomix"    I shall have a good read of it and give it a whirl

I have a thermomix I bought about 15 years ago. They are very expensive and in all honesty I rarely use it except to make frappachino type of coffee.

We are all on slimming world here apart from my hubby and I have virtually stopped making bread.
And it hurts.

Oh apart from a crusty, country style loaf with chorizo last week.
OH has just told me that he has eaten the last slice of spiced fruit bread for his breakfast toast and stood there with such a hangdog look that I am off to make him another one for the freezer.

THink the will power is failing now and I am off to make some hot cross buns with dried cherries and chocolate, chips and some of the ordinary kind.

[Mrs Bee]

Buns all done, dusted and in the freezer ready for Good Friday.

And I only ate one, just to do the quality control you understand.

[allotmentann]

'Tis a cooks duty to make sure that no one gets food poisioning! Are you sure one was enough?  They look lovely Mrs Bee, good job that they are in the freezer I think.