I made bread

[redbird]

I made a loaf of bread today, for the first time.

I sometimes bake sweets, including cookies and cupcakes, but had neer tried bread befrore. Some people on Discord were talking about no-knead bread, and the person who went shopping for us a couple of weeks ago managed to get both flour and yeast, so I gave it a try.

cattitude and I ate a bit under half the loaf for dinner, with butter on mine and honey on his. Theere was a little bit of pickled herring, and Cattitude had some olives, but mostly we ate the bread, as soon as it had cooled down after baking.

Comments

[lydy]

My, that looks lovely!

[minnehaha]

Seems kinda perfect, no?

K.

[voidampersand]

Bread is such an amazing thing. Imaging trying to explain bread to aliens. But it's such an important part of our culture it is considered simple. And it can be so satisfying.

[minoanmiss]

It's beautiful!

[vass]

It's gorgeous!

[light_of_summer]

Bravo!

Fresh-baked bread is a wonder and a marvel, isn't it?

For what it's worth, when I've made bread, I've enjoyed the kneading process, too. How to knead bread is something I'm pretty sure I learned from my mother, who learned it from her mother—I don't recall exactly when I learned, but I'm almost positive it was from her, because most people don't seem to knead bread the way I learned: one hand pulling the dough from the outer part of the bowl and pushing it down into the center with the heel of that hand, and the other hand turning the bowl to bring a new bit of dough into place for the next grab.

I don't have many family recipes, but a family kneading method and a family pie-top vent design I do have...

[kareina]

Yay, bread! No way would I have waited for it to cool down after baking though--for me the whole point of baking is to get to eat it hot from the oven, with plenty of butter melting onto it.

[redbird]

I was tempted, but for my first attempt, it seemed worth following the advice to let it cool and finish baking in the process.

[kareina]

I have been baking bread since the early 1980's. Never once have I let it cool first, and I am totally convinced the people who give that advice are all mad. They claim the texture isn't as good. The texture is just fine. My only advice is to turn it cut side down on a wire rack to cool-- that way it doesn't loose too much moisture:-)

[redbird]

Do you eat it right out of the oven, or let it cool a little first?

[kareina]

The only delay between taking it out of the oven and cutting into it is pausing to brush yet more melted butter on the crust (I butter it before it rises, brush more on it about half way through baking, and again as soon as it comes out). That takes perhaps 20 seconds. Then I slice off some, turn the loaf cut side down, butter it, and eat very carefully, blowing hot steam out of my mouth, enjoying every toasty-hot, melty-buttery bite.

[otter]

I have great appreciation for your approach to bread baking and consuming!!!!

[meepettemu]

Looks good. I make no-knead a fair amount when I make bread. In fact I have to go pour one into my tin now!

[mrissa]

Yay bread!

[halojedha]

This looks delicious!

[sine_nomine]

That is STUNNING! Congratulations!

[piglet]

Lovely! Mmmmmm.

[otter]

Beautiful loaf! I have yeast. I have flour. Might just go look up a recipe

[hrj]

That's a great looking loaf! I won't even add "for a first try" because that would undermine its objective fabulousness.

[redbird]

I am going to use a bit more salt next time: I used part of this loaf for French toast, and cattitude and I both found it needed salt.

[athenais]

It looks beautiful and delicious! Congratulations.

[cjsmith]

Ooo, congratulations on bread! Achievement Unlocked! May you have many more years of enjoying baking bread. ♥

(I ♥ baking)

[serene]

Gorgeous!!!