Monday, August 18, 2008

The POWER...

I'm on a total power trip. I rushed through it (as much as you can rush through bread) and... dun dun dun DUN... I made BREAD!!! I did it!!!

I had my oven up too high, so the outside got a little too crispy, but Sam said he prefers it like that... He says it makes it "real-er"... The interesting thing was that my recipe called for 1/2 tsp of honey, so I used some of that really strong stuff I bought at the outdoor market in Haute-Savoie that first weekend we were here and the bread REALLY tastes like it. It's all earthy and planty. I LOVE it!!!

Um... I MADE BREAD!!! Did I mention that?

I just feel like I totally stuck it to the man!!! Even the organic bread-selling man at the market who charged me 5 Euros for his loaf... I spent maybe .75 and made TWO LOAVES with it. So THERE!!! Think about how much money we're gonna save now that I'm gonna make all of our bread!!!

The bread so convinced Sam that he took me out shopping for a food thermometer and a cooler so I can try to make yogurt tomorrow!! YAY!!! Stay tuned and chew on these pix:







7 comments:

Emily said...

Mmmm, I wanna taste!!

Unknown said...

oooooh, yummy! with butter and jam and a moker for breakfast....oh! i think i just popped a spring!

xlordashx said...

That looks lovely joelie! I have to try to make my own bread one day. =)

Joelie said...

You guys can TOTALLY do this!!! It's SUPER easy!!! I thought there was some crazy mystery to it, but really, the bread makes itself. You just throw stuff together and let it rise and then shove it in the oven, pretty much.

And it's SO yummy!!!!

Anonymous said...

Can I have the recipe puuuuleeeezzz?

Rachel said...

That looks so good!!

Joelie said...

3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (well, semi-complete)
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 packet of yeast
1 1/2 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp of honey.

Mix the yeast and water and let it process a few seconds (30-1 min.). Mix the salt and flour together. Pour the yeast mixture into the flour. Stir. When it starts to stick, work it with your fingers until it makes a ball. Cover with a towel and put it in a warm still place (I nuked a cup of water for a minute and then put my bowl with bread ball in there). Let it rise 1 hour (or until it's twice its original size).

Break it into two balls. Work it with your fingers, sprinkling as much flour as you need to keep it from sticking. Knead it until you think you've gotten the air pockets out (just a few mins.)

Flatten the loaves out into circles. Fold half over to the middle, fold the other half over to the middle, fold both folded halves until it makes a cylinder and pinch it together so it stays. Turn the pinched side onto the silicone baking mat (sprinkled with a little flour). Cut lines in the top (because when the dough bakes, it's gonna need to break... cutting lines keeps it from breaking irregularaly).

Cover it again and let it rise again for another hour.

Then, put it in an oven at like 420 (220 C). Bake for 25-30 mins. But WATCH IT... I didn't and my crust got a little too crispy (it was still really yummy though).

Easy peezy.