Finally a Baking Success!



bread dough

I keep saying how utterly rubbish I am at baking, and I will not begin to assume that I am out of the woods so to speak in the baking department. That said in the last week I have managed to successfully make a dozen hot cross buns and the pastry and I have made pizza dough, and a loaf of bread.

I would like to sit here and claim all the credit for my success how ever in truth it’s in part down to my wonderful Mother and Delia Smith, the recipe was Delia’s, the trick behind my success was my Mothers.

bread freshly baked

warm bread with jam

hot crossed bun dough

hot cross buns

I shall impart the secret of my success on you all now. The recipe required a teaspoon of yeast and a teaspoon of sugar, and however much warm water it was, all of which I carefully measured out, the recipe said to sieve the yeast, flour, salt and sugar together, well I didn’t do that, I sifted the flour and the salt, but I put the yeast, sugar and a little of the water into a separate little bowl, gave it a good stir and let the yeast activate. Once this had occurred that’s when I made a well in the flour, added the activated yeast first and then the rest of the warm water, gave it a good stir with the wooden spoon first and then kneaded it for about three minutes, before placing it in a bowl, covered it with cling film and then placed it on the radiator for 2 hours to rise. Then I turned out my risen dough, kneaded it on a floured surface for a few seconds, made a oblong shape, folded one end into the middle, then folded the other end over the top. Then I placed my dough into the baking tin I was using, covered it once again with cling film, and returned it to the radiator to rise a second time, once it had risen to just above my baking tin, and filled in to the ends (which actually happens first) I placed it in the over to bake!