Baking Day

So, I've had a lovely day of baking! For the first time in a few weeks I've had the opportunity just to hang out at home and try some new recipes and some variations on more established themes!

First up, sundried tomato and olive bread - a new recipe from a book I've had for a while, Sara Lewis' The Bread Book. My confidence with bread has risen massively over the last few weeks to the point that I ditched the sugar at the outset - my understanding is that bread recipes only contain sugar in an attempt to speed up the rise which, I'm also learning, is something you don't actually particularly want. So out went the sugar and in came a longer rising time. The result was a moist loaf, full of flavour - definitely one to keep! And I've stuck some in the freezer in the hope that it could become another bread that's easy to stop going stale before I can finish it!

Then I made what's become my staple loaf, a white seeded tin that I'll slice, bag and put in the freezer (can you see a theme emerging?!). This one's made with a combination of Claybrooke Mill strong white flour and Allinson Seed and Grain bread flour, about half and half of each.

Up next were Joy the Baker's feta and chive sour cream scones. I've been reading baking blogs for a few months and when I decided I wanted to make something savoury I decided that instead of trawling through recipe books or using random websites I'd have a hunt through some blog archives. These are brilliant! No skimping on either the feta or the chives, and a topping of salt, pepper and paprika gives the whole thing a bit of a kick.

Then an old favourite, Mrs Beeton's scones! In a slight rush of blood to the head, I chucked some mixed tropical fruit in my shopping trolley last night and thought I'd see how they'd work as a replacement for tried and tested (and maybe slightly dull...) sultanas. The verdict? Perfectly pleasant! I'm not sure it's a combo that's going to set the world alight but, hey!, you don't know if you don't try!

And finally, sticky apple maple tray bake from Great British Bake Off: How to bake. This is a really moist, fruity cake with amazing maple syrup icing - definitely needs to be served with a cake fork or a napkin, preferably both! 

But one of the nicest things about the day was that my sister and a couple of friends came over, along with their small children, to keep me company (and eat things as they came out of the oven!).

Happy days!