2 new loaves

Two new loaves in the space of two weeks!

The first was a more conventional "rye and barley loaf", utilising my well-loved rye starter. It was based on a Dan Lepard recipe but altered slightly in that he uses a white leaven in his... but it worked really well. Not sour at all, a slight tang but not so my daughter noticed (she's my barometer in terms my sourdoughs are as she won't tolerate anything more than a bare hint of sourness!!!).

No photos of this one but it was a fairly standard, round-looking example!

Then I tried something very different!!! If you keep up with food blogs/pinterest/twitter foodies, you may have seen/heard of the "life-changing loaf" from Sarah Britton at "My New Roots"...

http://mynewroots.org/site/2013/02/the-life-changing-loaf-of-bread/

Well, I can confirm that it is indeed "life changing"! No yeast, it uses psyllium seed husks, seeds, nuts and oats (well, I used quinoa flakes as I am more than a little obsessed with quinoa at the moment!). Quite simply delicious! Now, you know I have nothing against yeast, wheat or gluten.. obviously!!!! But I do love something different and this was certainly that..... reactions amongst the family were mixed. Husband liked it (although he did say it was like a giant block of bird food... I don't *think* that's a bad thing...). Son declared it "really good".. daughter refused to try it... ah well, can't win them all!!!!!

 

It's upside down... but it's still good!

 



It's been a long time but the loaves keep coming!

It's been SUCH a long time since I posted on this blog... but I have been busy baking almost every week since the start of 2013! Granted most of my baking, although yeasty and bread-based in nature have NOT been loaves... I've made doughnuts, tortillas, pancakes, bagels, pizza (every week without fail - both conventional yeast & v successful sourdough), pain au chocolat (a HUGE hit!!). I have regularly made seeded malt loaf, and a non-yeast soda bread with seeds and spelt flour (so quick and easy I can rustle one up in the time it takes a pot of lentil soup to cook!). But not much in the way of new loaves.... until this....

Dan Lepard's 5-Grain Loaf

I make mine with a rye leaven rather than the white that Dan specifies, for no other reason than I seem to have a rye starter on the go at the moment for pizzas, etc.. it's a feisty resiliant starter that can stand going a couple of days in between feeds if I'm not baking.. probably due to the fact that it's been cold here!!

This is the oddest recipe, which begins with mixing cooked grains (I've been using a pack of pre-cooked Food Doctor or Merchant Gourmet grains depending on what's in the cupboard!), millet, and oatmeal, with the leaven, honey, molasses, water, yeast, and oil. Smells revolting!!!! This is then mixed with white, wholemeal and rye flours. Once lightly kneaded and rested several times, it's left to prove before shaping and a final prove.. baking produces this....

and, on another occasion, this....

I LOVE this loaf! Complex flavours, lots of "bite", wholemeal and grainy without being too heavy. A definite contenter for "perfect loaf" :-).