IT'S DOUGH EASY!!!

I once used to make my own bread but recent attempts have failed leaving me disheartened.  So when I saw a local class I booked up and this morning I had a wonderful time!  The class was run by Ann Hood who some of you might know from the tv Masterchef programme. Her relaxed style made every one feel at ease and I knew from the outset that I was going to have fun!

 
I wasn't quite sure how we would make bread in the 2.5 hrs that we were there... in my experience just the making can take that long without baking time! But I was told we would be making traditional bread, brioche, focaccia and walnut bread. Really?! Now that sounded even more of a challenge!!  But guess what?  We didn't just make one type of each, we made:
 
Traditional bread
Garlic tear 'n share
Bread sticks (3 varieties) some rolled in lemon zest - some with seseame seeds - some brushed with honey & sprinkled with pieces of walnut
Foccacia with finely chopped rosemary added to the dough for flavour and after baking brushed with olive oil, topped with cracked pepper, sea salt, and more finely chopped rosemary
Small rolls flavoured with chill flakes and brushed with crushed ginger infused in oil
Walnut bread which we dipped into a coffee sauce (try it before you knock it!!)
and
Brioche - individual chocolate chip ones with a chocolate sauce - and a plaited orange zest loaf
We also made a Balsamic and Oil dip to go with the bread sticks and the chocolate and coffee sauces.

Who would have thought this was possible in the time given?! 
But it was.....

 

 

And not only that... I also learnt so many tips and techniques! I now know that I can freeze fresh chilli's and ginger and use them as I need. I know about flour and yeast, how to get crusty bread and more importantly a light texture. This class has really boosted my confidence and de-mystified bread making.  

But how did we make so many kinds of bread in so short time? Well, Ann has developed her own technique and she warned us it was controversial.  And it is!  Forget traditional bread making with hours for proving, knocking back, kneading and more proving. Her method is revolutionary and as they say, the proof was in the eating. Luckily I took lots of notes so I should remember most of what I learnt and the recipes will be emailed later so that I can try them at home. I also popped into Tesco on my way to buy some fresh yeast. A whole block for 0.01p! I'm ready and raring to go...

So a big thank you to Ann for showing me how easy it is to make bread and to adapt recipes. I'm so glad that I discovered this class and booked it. If you want to learn some of her tips Ann has just had her first book published.  I do not get commission for mentioning it, nor have I looked through a copy, but if it is anything as good as her class it comes highly recommended. 


Ann runs the Smart School of Cookery.     Classes are held in London and the South East and I  shall be
looking out for more to attend.

Thanks for popping by. I'll be posting again   soon about my recent sausage making experience.

There is a resurgence in my kitchen!
     

5 in 5 - MELANIE February 2014

 

Those who follow my posts might know that Melanie is my friend who lives in Australia. She loves photography and every month she has taken part in this monthly neme.
Melanie does not have a blog and so each month I post her photos. I love that we have found a way for her to take part!  When I began this photo challenge last July I did not anticipate that this partnership would develop. It was not planned but I am SO glad that it happened because it has added something unexpected. I am so excited each month when I open Melanie's email with her monthly photos so once again Melanie, a big thank you, and over to you:

"Belair National Park is still on my list of places to go for the 5 in 5 photos but today Adelaide is back with temperatures expected to be in the thirties and it is a day of severe fire danger.  They do not actually close the national parks but there is an onus on the public to stay away from such places on days of high fire danger so not a place I would think of going to when the day is one of severe fire danger.  It is not quite as hot by the coast and when I just checked our outside thermometer which sits in the shade on our front deck it was only 28C.  Enough of the weather conditions back to photos.  I was going for morning tea with a friend who lives in Hallet Cove a place just a bit south of where I live and they have a conservation park there on the coast with a board walk, walking trail and lots of interesting rock formations. For those who would like to learn more about the park take a look at http://www.sa.gsa.org.au/Brochures/HallettCoveBrochure.pdf

One of my favourite places in the park is the Sugarloaf.  This rock formation was named Sugarloaf because of it similarity to a hardened block of sugar.  My photos are taken at and around the Sugarloaf.

Top left is the Sugarloaf itself.   Bottom left is a part of the boardwalk.  The middle photo is a shot of the steps leading up to the Sugarloaf.  The top right is included because this plane was circling out at sea the whole time I was walking in the park.  This is usually a sign that a shark has been sighted,  a few have been sighted out at sea during this summer. The bottom right is one of the many views of the sea which are constantly with you as you walk in the park.

Hope you have fun seeing my 5 in 5 for this month and I look forward to seeing others that have been taken".

Those of us who live in UK will be appreciating these blue skies, the idea of such high temperatures and risk of fires seems a million miles from the floods and grey skies we continue to experience. Some areas have been cut off by flood water since before Christmas, how crazy the worlds weather is.

If this has inspired you to take photos to add to this challenge you have until 25th before the link closes. It's great fun and this post should answer any questions or give any other information that you need.

 

Thank you to Melanie and everyone else who has taken part. Links for this months posts are here and I'll be back next month with more photos from Melanie and myself.