Impromptu Mini-Carnival of Breadmaking Posts
(Updated AGAIN with yet more new contributions at the bottom!)
Well, I really have to hand it to you folks. The bread recipes and advice came pouring in—exactly the kind of flood I was hoping for. Some of you shared links in the comments, and I thought I’d compile them all here in one post for easy access.
Those of you who took the time to email me recipes directly: please let me know if I may share those recipes with the rest of the internet! I won’t post them unless you give me the go-ahead. And thanks so much, all of you. Jane wants to try every recipe and compare them. I say: yum!
Oh, and about our first loaf, Becky asked: "How long did it last?" Answer: Not very long. Scott was lucky to get a piece; the kids pretty much had bread and butter for dinner on Friday night, at their own request. (I made them add apples and cheese to round out the meal.) We actually baked two loaves: the one in the picture, for which we used our brand-spanking-new Pyrex loaf pan, thank you very much. (Like many of my commenters, I’m a bit leery of nonstick cookware. All my pots and pans are plain old heavy-duty stainless steel. But we did have that nonstick loaf pan I’ve been carting around forever. I decided it was time to ditch it, and the Pyrex pan was only $7 at Target.)
For the other loaf, we used Hooly’s suggestion and shaped a round rustic loaf to bake on our pizza stone. That one was the one we devoured hot from the oven. SO GOOD. It didn’t survive long enough for a photo op.
As for the kneading surface, our wooden cutting board worked just fine. We put a tea towel under it to keep it from sliding around, as many of you recommended. And the kneading itself was the best part of the process. Jane and I had several fits of laughter as we repeatedly elbowed each other out of the way at kneading time.
—Here, honey, let me show you how to do it. Like this. And this. And this.
—Mo-om! I get it! Come on, don’t I get a turn?
—Sure, just let me show you how for another five minutes…
All righty, here’s the links I promised. If you have links to other breadmaking posts, send ’em along and I’ll add them to our little unofficial Carnival of Bread, Glorious Bread.
It began with Jove’s post on how baking bread is meaningful work of the most delicious kind. Her daughter tried Wisteria’s recipe with excellent results. Jove explains how they adjusted the recipe here.
After I posted my questions about the process, Shelly shared her mother’s Butter Fluff Rolls recipe, which includes instructions for turning the dinner roll dough into cinnamon rolls. Mmmm.
My pal Lisa mentioned beer bread, and Cay shared Danielle Bean’s recipe for it.
Jennie’s post on How to Bake a Lot of Bread in One Day, complete with step-by-step photos, is a must-see. Be sure to read the comments too; she includes more helpful tidbits there. We took her advice about slitting the top of our loaf with a sharp knife before baking, and I have to say it is awfully satisfying to see that just-right sliced-bread shape every time I cut a piece.
Here’s another young baker at Bridget’s house, and another fine-looking loaf!
If it’s a good hearty oatcake ye’re hankerin’ for, here’s a recipe for Scottish bannocks I posted on Bonny Glen a while back.
That’s all for now, but I suspect there will be more to come!
UPDATED to add Donna-Marie’s post about Cinnamon Twists, mmm…
MORE UPDATES! Fellow ClubMom blogger Loni shares her recipe, which includes wheat she grinds herself with a Whisper Mill.
In the comments, Danielle Bean‘s sister, Helene, links to another sister, Suzanne (author of the lovely blog, Blessed Among Men), who posted a yummy-sounding recipe for herb bread. We’ll have to try that one for sure!
Also, check the comments for CityMom‘s recommendation of a book about breadmaking by a Jesuit priest.
ANOTHER ENTRY: Katherine in Texas shares her foccacia recipe. Oh boy!
MONDAY NIGHT ADDITIONS: Karen’s camera may be uncooperative, but her Italian bread sounds like a crowd-pleaser. It’s Atticus’s bread on the feast of St. Atticus!
Last week, Becky sent me an awesome email full of advice and recipes. I’m thrilled to say she has expanded that into a post for everyone to enjoy. Her recipe for "Old Order Amish bread" was the one Jane chose for our first try. And who knew the word "lady" originally meant "loaf kneader"?
Cajun Cay’s daughter learned the hard way when not to punch down (or poke down) the dough, but Cheryl has enough Brioche to go around. Pass the butter!
TUESDAY UPDATE: Minnesota Mom shares her grandma’s recipe for "coffee cake," aka Christmas bread.
And NYJLM waxes poetic about the joys of working with dough.
TUESDAY A WEEK LATER UPDATE: Danielle Bean’s friend, Father Augustine Measures, OSB, shares a homily about bread!
NYJLM shares a link to a New York Times article on breadmaking.
November is National Bread Month! Who knew? Well, Chef Leann did. Here’s her recipe for Honey Whole-Wheat Bread, oh yum, and her answer to "Why bake homemade bread?" Check out the Bread Baking 101 in her sidebar, too.
SATURDAY THE 18TH and the recipes just keep a-rolling in! Haley and Joann both gave me leave to post the recipes they emailed me; thank you very much, my dears. Here’s Haley’s French bread and Joann’s loaves made from a potato starter.
