So, I began to make a list of the things I love doing.
The simplest method I use to decide whether I like doing something is the “time flies” (AKA -“I’m in the zone”) test.
In my opinion, anything you do and get so immersed in that you lose track of time is something you probably enjoy doing.
My current list consists of:
*exercising. (not 100% of the times though).
*cooking. (again, not 100% of the times)
*gardening. (100% of the time!)
*tidying up and cleaning. (def not 100% of the time!)
*experimenting in the kitchen.(100% of the time.)
*others- sleeping, eating, reading, etc.
My latest experiment was a challenging mind game :
Will I be able to overcome my fear of baking bread?
To make a boring story short: I baked the bread. won the mental game.
But was it worth it?
Well, depends.
I used a simple recipe, and whole spelt flour.
Yes, it’s the same picture as above.
It did rise nicely and tasted really nice the day it was baked, but then I realized slicing homemade bread (at least my homemade bread) is not as smooth as cutting store-bought bread.
I couldn’t slice thin slices, so now every time someone wants a small piece of bread, they end up piling on a huge piece instead.
That’s definitely a downside- the bread isn’t that cheap to bake at home if you end up finishing it in 2 days instead of a week, and no need to wonder why you feel heavier either.
The other thing is-
The thing about homemade bread, in my experience, was the hassle of babysitting the bread while it bakes, so as not to miss the exact minute it is fully baked but not too dry.
Unlike buns, which are simple and easy to check on (tap the bottom side, it should be brownish and hard and make a hollow sound) , bread is more complicated to handle, so I ENDED UP SITTING IN FRONT OF THE OVEN THE WHOLE TIME AND CHECKING AND RE-CHECKING.
This was too much for me.
Add to that the stress of worrying the bread would stick to the pan , the inside will be soggy, it won’t freeze well, and other worries about where the world is going to-
Honestly-
For me-
It wasn’t worth it.
I think I will continue baking my spelt buns, and let bakers do their thing.
Enjoy- the cooliflower.
When you first started baking the spelt buns, did you sit in front of the oven and “babysit” the process?
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Ok.
Good question.
You got me thinking.
Maybe I will give it another try.
Thank you!
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After awhile, while kneading the bread, I became able to feel the dough’s consistency and then add water or flour until it “felt the same as last time”. This then made the dough consistent enough that the baking time became relatively constant. I put the bread into the oven and check it just a few minutes before it is normally done and I can decide if I can immediately take it out of the oven, or wait a few extra minutes.
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Good advice.thank you.I guess staying calm and logical beats getting all emotional about it…I wonder about the slicing part though: did you figure out how to slice thin slices too?
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I use a very sharp bread knife.
It does not work well for bread still hot from the oven, but after the bread cools down, I can get 1cm slices with little problem.
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I find if I add some flora or olive oil to the mix, then it’s a little softer to slice.
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Thank you for reading, commenting , and the reminder of the beloved olive oil, which I defenitely agree helpes not only the slicing, but also the tasting part….
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Actually, the other day I had made some gluten protein in veggie gravy, using dry mint and veggie suet. A lot of the fats had boiled out, leaving the seitan a lighter, but still stringy texture. The fats in the water cold can then be used in frying or perhaps I can imagine you could use it in your bread making. I feel an experiment coming on in this house.
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Your bread looks delicious. Even I have been trying my hands on cooking lately during this lock down and it has been quite fun. I made pudding one day, which turned out to okay for a first timer. Do you have an instagram page? Would love to follow your recipes there.
Best wishes from The Strong Traveller and have a great day
Do have a look at my blog whenever you find the time. There is some travel and lifestyle content which you may find interesting. Your thoughts will surely be very valuable. 🙂
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