I've never been a baker. I did try to make a loaf about twenty years ago, and very successfully made a house brick. I realise now that I used the wrong kind of flour - low gluten, which was all that was available here at that time - and probably the wrong recipe.
About a week ago, I got really annoyed with the local bread shop. They are so inconsistent. Half the time you go they have nothing. Then, on random days, bread arrives but it's stale. They have a few branches around town but a central bakery. It seems the bakery does the stuff, but then the bread sits there while the delivery driver takes a three day rest.
Around the same time, a small bakery supplies shop opened yards from my front door and I found these.
and
On a whim, I bought them.
Later the same day, I had a fall at home and badly bruised my right shoulder. It is still very painful. I thought I would have to postpone any bread making experiments, but then I remembered hearing about the "no knead" method, so went a-googling.
I was highly sceptical that this was going to work, but...loaf #1. As you can see, I just rounded the dough into a "rustic" shape.
While it didn't come out perfect, I was very happy with the taste. The bottom was ever so slightly undercooked.
Undeterred, yesterday, I cooked loaf 2. This time in a loaf tin and for a little bit longer.
I am much happier with this one. The crumb is more evenly cooked (and cooked all the way the through)
It doesn't match some of the examples I've seen on this topic and its previous incarnations, but I don't think I have totally shamed myself.
Just got back from down town where I bought a kilo of high gluten flour from a different shop. Experiments shall continue.
