Comfort month

I’m happy to say my bread making has, so far, improved, thanks to a bit of trial and error and a great book by Dan Stevens. I’ve learnt that you can’t rush it, and you can’t put a timer on it, you just have to get a feel for it. I think I’m now getting a ‘feel’ for when the dough is kneaded enough, when it’s risen and proved enough and when it’s absolutely properly baked. I now realise that recipe instructions for bread are only ever a guidance. You can’t really say how long each stage should take, because it depends so much on the conditions and ingredients you’re working with. So you have to know how it should look and feel and smell, which comes with experience. Much like cake baking, you get to know that a springy top on a sponge or a clean withdrawn skewer are the signs of a fully baked cake, not 45 mins exactly because the recipe says so. I think a few failures in the past had put me off baking bread, but if I can get parsnips to grow after persevering for 3 years, I can tackle bread. There are some things in life that would be boring if they were too easy!

I’ve come to love the month of January now, after hating it for years. Forget new years diets, detox  and gym memberships, just make the most of comfort food that’s still healthy, brisk cold walks, and then hunkering down next to the fire with a good book and a warm blooded, furry animal if you have one to hand. Alicia over on Pozie Gets Cozy puts it so well. I’d quite like it snow now, just one Sunday when I don’t need to go anywhere, when the fridge is full and bread is baking in the oven!

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