Baking Bread

I pulled out my breadmaker for the first time in ages, am baking up a test loaf to see how it turns out. I only had plain flour, the yeast is out of date by a couple of months and it was stored in the pantry not the freezer.

I tried proofing it, only got a little rise from it. Disappointed I tipped it out, noting that the water had gotten quite cold. I tried again with hotter water and put the jug into warm water and left it for a little while. I noted there was a little rounding and it had risen up the side of the jug. Left it longer and it really frothed up. I showed my husband, saying "It's alive" in my best Dr Frankenstein voice.

Waiting to see how the loaf turns out, my last one was a little flat. I need to source bread flour or Gluten flour to mix into plain, neither is readily available here.

Make your own Bread Flour

Mix 60g Universe Gluten Flour into 1 kilogram plain flour (white or wholemeal) or 1 teaspoon per cup of flour. Sift well to mix thoroughly.


The loaf is now out of the machine, it's still a little low, a bit better than the last time. Will need to get that Gluten Flour and new yeast, will look tomorrow. It's still tasty though. Really had the urge to get my hands into the dough, next time I will use the dough setting, then knead it myself, leave it for a second rising and then bake it in the oven. I'm even tempted to do it all by myself - my I am becoming domesticated.