It looks pretty much the same, I guess. Next up = flour + yeast + soaker + water. Peter calls for all bread flour, but I used half whole wheat flour and half bread flour b/c I like whole grains. Also, I cut his recipe in half b/c I'm one person and my roommate never eats what I make. (Yep, I'm calling you out, B.) Yum!
That sat for an hour. It then became:
Bubbly! This + flour + salt + molasses + butter (I used salted. So sue me.) =
Oh, my non-room temperature salted butter. I'm such a bad baker. Forgive me, Peter. I stirred this up and ended up with something looking like solid haleem.
That needed some pretty-fying. I hope, like haleem, it may look bad, but taste wonderful. After some kneading, it transformed a little. Like Pygmalion, basically.
Zac is there for a comparison. Oh, my kneaded dough is pretty. Back on the counter top, away from Zac, my dough sits sadly for 90 minutes, waiting to be reunited with Zac once again, for without that comparison, it just doesn't feel good about itself.
So sad. It puffs itself up with pride that it just doesn't have. Don't worry, little anadama. You will be beautiful by the end of today! First, though, continuing this Pygmalion metaphor, you must be shaped.
Ew. This just looks gross. Sorry, little Pygmalion anadama. This little anadama then sits for (longer than) 60 to 90 minutes -- I left it out for two and a half hours b/c I had to go to class. Yet, lo and behold, I find this upon my return!
WTF, anadama! After I praised you?! This loaf is def not "fully above the tops of the pans," as Peter indicates it should be at this time. Maybe it's b/c I turned the heat in my apt down before I left for class. Or because anadama wanted to be near Zac and despised me for moving it. Whatever, don't give me excuses, anadama. So, I decided it's time for baking anyway, b/c I didn't want to wait anymore. I WANT BREAD.
Bread with cornmeal sprinkled on top. Pants with cornmeal sprinkled on top. FML. I need an apron. Or the dignity to not use my pants like a towel. Or someone to write a Pygmalion-esque story about me. Anyway, on to the next transformation!
The bread is HOME. It's HOME!! And I have a baby oven. A baby oven for a baby baker. I put it in the oven for 40 minutes. I went on the low end b/c last time I baked bread in the oven, it ended up burning a baby bit. (Can I use baby more in this blog entry? We'll see.)
It's done it's done it's done! So, it's kind of flat. Not cresting above the pan. Boo. But, then I took it out of the pan! It looks tasty! Golden brown, just like Peter says! Yaaay. So Pygmalion metaphor, maybe not so much. But I have to wait a whole hour to eat it! Oh, Peter, why this insanity!?!?
Finally, after an hour! Ta-daaaaaaaaaaaa!
Slices! With butter and Benz's homemade peach jam (<3 <3 <3 <3) and The Office (which is a flashback-y episode by the way. Bo-ring.)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And so . . .
I am nervous! But then, I am serene? Idk, I took a lot of reaction pictures but they look horrible. Anyway, I'm going to get back to watching this horrible episode of The Office. And eat more anadama, which def is a Pygmalion story.
It's love. <3
OMG. Why haven't you been blogging your whole life? You are hilarious.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome for the jam. I had some on crackers yesterday. If only I had someone baking bread for me...
Yaaay Benzie!
ReplyDelete