Hi everyone, this blog will document my attempts to replicate my Great - Grandmothers Bread recipes from the recipe book she started in the 1930's. I will be completing this blog as part of my participation in occupation 2 paper this semester. Funnily enough I have had quite a few taste testing offers!

Friday, 21 September 2012

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Hi All

 Sorry its been so long since my last post! Unfortunately I've been computer-less for the last seven weeks while HP have fixed it!  So I'll be playing catch up with my posts for the next few weeks!

Cinnamon Swirl Bread,

I remember Grandma baking this bread, it was a family favorite! Its fantastic toasted with butter and every now and then she'd add a handlful or two of sultanas or choco chips!

Cinnamon Swirl Bread
Ingredients:

BREAD:
1 Tablespoon butter
1/2 cup milk
2 Tablespoons granulated white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 envelope active dry yeast
3/4 cup warm water
3 cups all-purpose flour, divided + more for surface work

FILLING:
2 Tablespoons butter, softened
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. In a microwavable up, heat butter and warm milk in short bursts; stir together until butter is melted.

2. In a large bowl, stir sugar, salt and cinnamon. Pour warm butter/milk mixture into the bowl; stir.

3. In a glass measuring cup or small bowl, mix yeast and warm water until yeast is dissolved; pour into the bowl and stir.

4. Mix in 2 1/2 cups flour. Turn out dough onto a floured board (dough will be sticky). Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of flour onto the dough and knead until the dough is soft and smooth (4 to 5 minutes). Add additional sprinkles of flour, if needed.


5. Put dough into a greased bowl; turn the dough over so the top of the dough is greased too. Cover with a clean dish towel and let rise in a warm place for about 60 minutes, or until doubled in size (see tips below...)

6. Punch down the dough in the bowl with your fist. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 1 minute.

7. Roll dough out into a basic rectangular shape. Use a butter knife or your clean fingers to spread 2 Tablespoons softened butter on the surface of the rolled out dough. In a small bowl, mix white sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle this mixture on top of the butter.

 

8. Roll up dough and form into a loaf. Place into a buttered 5x9-inch bread pan, seam side down. Cover with a clean dish towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

9. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcuis

10. Score risen dough in the pan by cutting 3 slashes diagonally across the top of the loaf with a sharp knife. Bake bread for 35 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown. Fully baked bread should sound hollow when tapped.

fantastic when used to make french toast!


The smell of this bread cooking is amazing and it almost had my flatmates drooling while it was baking! "is it ready yet?" was heard for about 2 hours, it truely is amazing though and i have to admit that it was all gone by that afternoon  by the time we had all had our taste testers and snuck back  to have some more as a treats! It didn't turn out quite like grandmas but it was still pretty amazing!

Go on get your aprons on and give it a go! its dead easy!

Over and out  =)

Wednesday, 5 September 2012

The First Attempt.


On Sunday i attempted to recreate what i was told was the easiest bread EVER! Hmm turns out its quite a bit harder than what it seems. The recipe is as followed,

 Mums Plain White Loaf.

Melted butter/ or oil or lard for greasing and brushing
500g (3 1/3 cups) plain flour
2 tsp dried yeast
1 tsp salt
375mls (1 1/2 cups) lukewarm water
Extra water, for brushing


Instructions 
  1. Light Coal Range and build up fire to moderate heat.
  2. Place the flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl and mix well to combine. Make a well in the centre and add the water to the dry ingredients.Ensure that the water is lukewarm.
  3. Combine and then bring the dough together in the bowl.
  4. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead.
  5. Roll into a ball and coat in oil/ butter/ lard. Cover and leave in a warm place for 1 hour or unitl doubled in size.
  6. Once the dough has doubled in size, reknead the dough and shape. Place loaf in loaf pan.

  7. Allow to rise in warm draught free area for a further 30 - 40  minutes or until doubled in size.
  8. Check coal range temperature. Place pan on tray in range and leave for approx 30 minutes, it is cooked when its hollow sounding when tapped on the base.
  9. The bread will last 2-3 days without going stale and can be used for toast or cooking after 3 days.


    So.... i incounted a wee incident when baking the first loaf, the coal range hadn't been used in a while and the range tray boke in half and took the bread with it, resulting in a black laof that the pet chooks seemed to really enjoy! The second loaf turned out better and as the say the proof was in the eating. My father and his farm worker managed to put away 1/2 a loaf between them and feedback to me that the bread was good but would be better with cheese, herbs and ham. 

    So overall, a fun if slightly rushed and burnt start to my experiment!