Three years ago I met my wonderful other half who introduced me to making food from scratch. Previously food was difficult to explore for me as everything tastes so potent or rubbish as a super taster. By making everything from scratch, I am able to experiment and find out what it is that I do and don’t like, as well as why!
Bread has always been a favourite food of mine because as super taster it can really be incredibly delicious and different. When my mum first found out that I was a super taster, she helped me start to love food by exploring different bread. Now that she understood that I could taste all the little differences, we started to experiment with different bread.
10 years on I made bread from scratch with BF shortly after we started dating and now I make it regularly. Through experimenting I know have a bread recipe that everyone loves more than any other bread they have tried. The other day I was given bread by a specialist food store when they found out I was a super taster and I was going home to make bread. They believed that I would love their bread so much that I would come back and purchase more. What they did not account for was just how good my bread is.
Everyone has a favourite type of bread, so always remember to experiment to achieve yours but this is how I make mine:
- Measure out 500 grams of bread flour. I like to use Allisons Strong White Bread Flour, or Waitrose Strong White Bread Flour. Put it into the mixing bowl. Now I have Kenwood Chef with a bread hook, which I would highly recommend getting. Bread hooks are a must if you plan to make bread regularly.
- Measure out 2 Tsp of quick acting yeast. I use Dove Farms Quick Yeast.
- Add 1/4-1/2 tsp of salt to the mix.
- Start slowly mixing the flour, salt and yeast together. I put my Kenwood to under 1 while I prepare the water mixture.
- In a measuring jug, add 200ml of filtered water, 1 tsp of caster sugar, 100ml of boiling water and a splash of olive oil (I personnaly like to use Jamie Oliver Olive Oil). Mix together and then very slowly add to the flour mix as it continues to mix together.
- Once all the liquid has been added I turn up to 1. After 10 minutes of mixing, I remove the bread hook. Check however that the mix is together in a ball of dough. Put a wet cloth over the bowl and leave for an hour.
- After an hour wait (I either clean or watch TV for an hour)
- Turn the oven on to 190 degrees.
- Prepare a floury side for you to manage the dough. I personally use a silicon mat and put flour on top. This allows for me to quickly clean and use the side for other purposes. This is really useful when you have limited space in the kitchen.
- I cover my hands in dough before pulling all the dough out and putting on my flour mat.
- Fold the dough repeatedly for 5 minutes. I do this by flattening the dough, folding in half and repeating. Keep regularly re flouring the side/mat and hands to keep dough from sticking everywhere.
- Break into 8 equally sized pieces. I do this by getting the dough into a ball and then cutting the dough with a knife. I have found this gets it equal and makes it easy to quickly roll into a neat little balls
- Now I roll the pieces into a ball before placing over my thumb to create a deep dip, and pulling the dough together over the now hole formed. I have found that this reduces the likelihood of big air bubbles (ironically) forming and gives an interesting bottom to the bread.
- Leave for 10 minutes (for me usually until the oven has warmed up enough). This will allow the bred to rise further and grow before going back in the oven.
- After 8 minutes, turn the rolls around and leave in the oven for another 6-8 minutes
- Take out of the oven and rest on a cooling tray for 10-25 minutes depending on how warm you want them (I love to get Brie melting in them as soon as possible personally!)
- Enjoy!
My biggest tip with bread is experimenting. You might find that you like your bread differently than me. I know that BF loves his with 1/2 a tsp of salt compared to me who prefers it with only 1/4 tsp of salt!
What are your biggest tips in making bread? What is your favourite type of bread?
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