B is for Baking

Today is a little bit about the first B of my trio, baking. I've always loved to bake. It is my go-to therapy when I'm feeling low, and my favorite activity when spending the day at the farm being domestic. It's also my favorite gift to give. I get as much joy from watching my bread rise as I do watching it disappear from a plate.

Cranberry Orange Bread

Most of my "famous" recipes originate from my grandmother's recipe box, and I'm fortunate enough to have quite a few of them in her handwriting. She's also only a phone call away when these recipe cards skip over major steps. Most recipes are second nature to Gram, and writing the steps from mixing bowl to baking pan seem like superfluous information to her. She gave me a wonderful holiday bread recipe  for Cranberry Orange Bread when I called to ask for a good bread to give for Christmas.  Its a simple bread to make, with fresh cranberries and the juice and zest of one orange. I made three loaves in a week after letting co-workers taste test the first loaf.

Last week I tried out her No Knead Oatmeal Bread recipe. This bread is a great, hardy loaf with a bit of nuttiness, perfect for sandwiches, and makes the best toast, even when it's quite stale. At her house, Gram always calls dibs on the butts (her word, not mine!) as the best pieces for toast, and it's usually coated in orange marmalade. I've been known to eat a half a loaf in No Knead Oatmeal Bread toast, but I digress. The dough can also be rolled out and cut into rolls. Gram makes a three loaf batch every Saturday. One loaf stays out and the other two are either frozen or given to family for the week. The recipe is yeast based, and much like my aversion to growing roses, I've avoided working with yeast based on fear of the uncertainties and notions of fickleness. What if my water is too hot? What if it just doesn't rise?

My love of baking stems largely from loving the exactness of it- but this fantasy was shattered with yeast recipes. So much of it depends on temperature, humidity, and other variables. So, up until now, I largely avoided yeast and its less than precise nature. Phrases like "Just eyeball it!" and "See how it looks as you go-" sent shivers down my regimented baker's back. But Gram did say, when I called in a panic that at minute 59 the dough had not doubled in size, that baking is truly more of an art, with some science. So, it was high time to get artsy. Hmm, maybe that's why they say artisan breads, not scientist breads....

No Knead Oatmeal Bread

My first attempt came out fairly well, and took a good amount of judging as I went. A little heavy, and twice the average rise time, but that's what you get with an overcast, cold day. All in all, time to make room for working with variables. The reward, at least in baking, has proven to be worth the uncertainty.

Today I'm trying a new yeast bread recipe, Finnish Pulla Bread. It was a request, and I was feeling up to the challenge after last week's success. This bread is a tad more complicated than Gram's No-Knead Oatmeal bread, with kneading, and several risings, and braiding the loaves. At present, it's rising near the fireplace.
Now none of my or Gram's recipes are secret family traditions; she will tell you most of her masterpieces come right out of Betty Crocker or Better Homes and Gardens. Mine are typically recipes I search for on the internet with at least 4 stars with over 150 reviews. The secret is, having friends and family willing to try all my baking experiments. As a last resort, the chickens are always grateful for a baking dud tossed their way. I'll attach the Pulla bread recipe and pictures of its progress to this post once it's done baking. Some of you will be trying a piece of this bread tomorrow! I have high hopes for this one as I watch the dough rising next to me. Let's hope the chickens aren't my main consumers! I'd be more than happy to share the other recipes I mentioned, and feel free to leave me a favorite bread recipe of yours to try!

Braids

Finished and drizzled with glaze

Finnish Pulla Recipe