A True Story

I have a True Story to share with you...

Around the first of the year I learned what Artisan Bread was.
I attempted to make it as I saw it made. It worked and I felt good with my new accomplishment.

I then taught my girls how to make it.

One of my girls taught her friend to make it.

Who in turn now makes it for every family gathering she attends, as well as it is the only bread her young growing family now eats (she doesn't buy store bought anymore).

My daughter brought some to an older lady in her ward who wanted to know more about it. Once it was shared with her, she went out and purchased a special pan to make it in and now makes and delivers to people in her ward...just because. This woman is probably in her 70's and can not eat the bread herself due to health. When asked "Why she does this" commented, "Just because I can't eat it doesn't mean I can't make someone happy by bringing it to them". So she does, Often.


I mentioned that I had taught my daughters to make it. Well I also have a son. He called the other day asking the recipe, since his wife was out of town with her sister who had just delivered a baby.
He decided to mix the bread up one afternoon and ended up preparing and baking it in the wee hours of the morning to bring to work...Which sparked more desires from others, asking how.

SEE what ONE person can do to Influence, Inspire and Bless the lives of others?!


It doesn't have to be bread. It doesn't even have to be food.
 It just needs to be something!

WHATEVER YOUR PASSION
PASS IT ON.

In John 13:15 the Lord admonishes us with these words:
15: For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

My bread obsession

I admit I have a mild obsession with Artisan bread.

These are the pans that I normally make it in.

 Then I read a post on how to make it in a crock pot.

Imagine that, Bread in a Crock Pot...

 So I tried it.

 First you cut parchment paper to fit in the bottom of the crock pot.

Then place the ball of dough that you already let sit for the 12 plus hours to do it's thing.

 The original recipe said to cook it/bake it on High for @ 1 hour. I did the first hour then would check the loaf by gently touching it. It seemed "not ready" to me. Like it was still too doughy.

So I would set my timer for 15 minutes then another 15 then 10 then...?

So I am assuming for my first try it ended closer to 2 hours to bake on high.

 At least in my crock pot.

This is the loaf after it was done in the crock pot.

Notice how it is still white.

Next step is to brown the top (if you choose too. I would suggest it)

 The original recipe said to put it under the broiler for 10 minutes.

My mistake was to walk away from the oven. I wish I would have watched it because 10 minutes ruined everything. It burned it :(

No real big worries. A trick I learned from my childhood or was it newlywed days?

I scrapped the burn off the crust.

So it would probably have looked A LOT better if I had browned it properly.

But, hey, IT WORKED!

As long as I was putting together a batch of Artisan bread, why not do more. So I made one in the crock pot and 2 in the oven.

As long as the oven is heating up the house, might as well get 2 done at a time.

The one on the left is: Zest and Juice of one Orange, Cranraisins, and chopped up Almonds.

The one on the Right is: grated Parmesan cheese and dehydrated onions.

 Here are all 3 loaves together.

 I feel so bad that I burned the top one. But it was still yummy inside.

 Here is a trick I learned.

You know how once you slice the bread, the end that is cut dries out if it isn't put into a bag. Then if you put it in a bag it makes the bread soft. Which for some people is no big deal. Soft bread is good. It's just that to me, Artisan bread is to be crusty.

SO, as you can see, I placed them on their side after they were sliced. It worked. It kept the sliced side perfect, and not dried out. If you don't finish the bread in one sitting then you can place a light cloth over it and it will be fine the next day.

The bread really is best when devoured in the first or second day however.

We had to test each loaf to be able to critique them. Notice how the one on the right was our favorite (orange,cranraisin, almond)

In case you forgot...

3 cups of flour
1 1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon yeast
1 1/2 cup water
(check out previous post on the how to of the bread if you have forgotten.
 http://www.providentpatty.blogspot.com/search/label/Artisan%20Bread
http://www.providentpatty.blogspot.com/search/label/Bread

Now go mix up a creation of your own and Share it with someone. In fact I will post a challenge for you all in my next post.

The Bread Experiment

MY ARTISAN BREAD experiment...

Hopefully you have already read the post on Artisan Bread. Perhaps you even watched the little video on it. Just maybe you even tried making some yourself. Well here is a blow by blow picture diary of 2 batches I did today. Wish you could smell and taste them.

I declare them a SUCCESS!

This 1st batch I decided to add dehydrated onions to it.  I didn't rehydrate them before adding to the dough. 

I started a second batch and added dehydrated apples that I re hydrated along with some cranraisins and cinnamon chips. (below)

I actually started the 1st one a few hours before the 2nd one. Notice the difference in the rise. Maybe it was the pectin in the apples, because that batch is a lot bigger?

 After the 12 hour rise, you fold it  (watch the video). I dusted the onion one with flour on the top and bottom then folded the towel over it for a 2 hour rise. (below)

 This is the apple one sitting in the towel ready for the 2 hour rise. I sprinkled oatmeal on the top and bottom of this one. (below)

note: after watching the video again, I realize I should have placed the dough ball with the seam side down, but it still turned out fine.

 After 30 minutes in the oven you remove the lids. Notice the difference in the 2 pots. The one on the left is a heavy cast iron pot. When I removed the lid it looked done and I could have or should have removed it then. But instead I gave it 5 minutes uncovered. The one on the right was ready for the next cooking process.

 The one on the left may look burnt, but it is perfectly moist and delicious inside with a perfect crunch on the outside.

The one on the right I let bake for 10 minutes with the lid off. The white is just the flour that I dusted it with.

 This is the apple, cranraisin, cinnamon bread...SO GOOD!

 This is the Artisan Bread with added dehydrated onions. EXCELLENT!

Once you try it you will be hooked. I taught my daughter who in turn taught her friend who confessed her addition to me. She said she had made 9 loaves in less then a week. She was addicted to its simplicity and deliciousness. You will be too.

The beauty of it is that it is just Flour, Salt, Yeast and Water.

Then once you master it, go ahead and add other ingredients to make it customised to compliment your meal.