Bread for the ankle biters......

So I made some bread today. Actually I didn't have enough plain flour for the standard white loaf so I 'adapted'. This can be a very foolish thing for the novice baker, but hey, you only live once I say, and what can it do? Kill me?.....Well I guess ultimately, if I am really, really bad at my choices........hmm.....

Heck no, Go for it! my inner self shouted out, you can always feed it to the chickens (like my first foray into the world of Sourdough.......but that's for another time).

So back to this loaf. Well actually I tend to bake two small loaves - using 1L loaf pans, partly because that's all I've got (I could buy a bigger pan, I know) but at the moment, it's mostly because the cherubs can handle the bread much more easily if it's their size (I can feel Maria Montessori on my shoulder nodding in support).

So these loaves, well I simply mixed in some fairly coarse organic Polenta/Maize Meal and a sprinkle of Artisan Admixture for fun.......and what came out? I hear you ask........

A pretty nice bread with 'teeth'. It had a denser, I hesitate saying slightly gritty texture (as I can see you pulling a face now....stop it!) but it was lovely. Not quite like the chewy pumpernickel but just a little, enough to give the bread some body - it held together for the cherubs as they ate it, it tasted great with just salted butter on it and they came back for more during the day - score!!!!

So I shall be making this again and it will also go on the 'school menu' as it made lovely sandwiches too.

 



I used two 1L small loaf pans

1/2 tbsp dried yeast
1/2 tsp organic sugar
450 ml warm water
1/2 oz lard
1lb organic stoneground white flour
1/2 lb organic polenta (plus a little artisan admixture)
1 tbsp iodised bread salt

Dissolve the sugar in the warm water then stir in the yeast.
Leave in a warm place for 10-15 minutes until foamy.
Rub the lard into the flour and salt, then stir in the yeast mixture.
Work together to form a firm dough, it should leave the sides of the bowl cleanly.
Place on a lightly floured surface and knead until no longer sticky and texture becomes more elastic and smooth.
Place the dough in a oiled clean bowl, cover and leave to rise - double in size, and springy to the touch.
Knead the dough again until firm and divide into 2 , shape and place in the loaf tins (oiled/greased).
Cover and leave for about 1 and a half hours or so until the dough reaches the top of the tins.
Bake at 220 degrees celsius (pre-warmed oven), for about 25 minutes - loaf should sound hollow what the base is tapped.