Breadtastic!

I know that’s not a word but what else can one say about something so simple in ingredients – Flour, Salt, Yeast and Water that make something so lovely.  The only thing you have to do is wait – patience is the virtue and cannot harm your bread. 

I just took this out of the oven and it looks so lovely had to share a photo of it.  I use my usual starter (as I do with anything I make) and added a bit of rye to the whole mix just to add texture and flavour.  I mix it up each time I bake – why keep to the same recipe?  I never tire of trying something different – sometimes it’s wholemeal, or brown, or whatever is in the cupboard that needs using. 

And the smell well that too doesn’t go wrong and the radiant heat that stays in the flat also makes it homey.  I just love baking bread – it is what gives you life!  Enjoy!

That time of the year again...

Well it’s birthday time again this year and as usual I made my favourite White and Chocolate Pistachio cake.  I just kept adding the chocolate until it ran our - I hate to waste it and after all this isn't a professional bakery but home baked goodness!  I love it because the frosting isn’t too sweet but also light.  The cake with the raspberry vinegar in it makes it just that bit different.  This year I made some homemade raspberry vinegar as I could not find it for love nor money at the grocery store.  I found it on-line but the cost was really more than I care to pay to be honest. 

Here's the recipe I used to make it and really this is all that is on the ingredients listing - red wine vinegar and raspberry juice in varying strengths - how hard is it to make your own - not very!   

Homemade Raspberry Vinegar
Ingredients:
2 cups fresh, organic raspberries
3 3/4  cups white wine vinegar

Instructions:
• rinse raspberries. pat dry.
• place raspberries in a 1 quart ball jar.
• pour vinegar into jar, covering the raspberries completely.
• place lid tightly on the jar.
• store in your pantry, 2 weeks.
• after two weeks, place a mesh strainer over a 2 quart glass measuring cup and strain the liquid.
• discard the raspberries.
• transfer vinegar into a clean glass container and store indefinitely.

And no sooner had I found this recipe did I yes, find organic raspberries reduced at the store – well this was a sign!  So of course I made it and you know it came out really nice.  I gave it away to another friend who like me enjoys the taste and we both had some of this lovely ingredient for our recipes. 

The cookies (or biscuits as they are called in the UK) are ones I baked for work – in the UK if it’s your birthday you bring in the goodies for all to enjoy.  I suppose this is a good thing if all abide by it – which happens that not all do but this was my contribution.  I used King Arthur’s black cocoa powder (a shirt did get a burst of it – which thankfully washed out!) which makes them appear nearly black.  If you keep to 10 minutes in the oven they come out perfect if you like moist and chewy cookies. 

I added chocolate chips to mine as I had loads of them left over from another project and I cannot stand to waste anything, so in they went.  If I had some nuts I would have added those too but sadly, all out.  I found them quite nice and J certainly loved them too.  I have to say we got some ready-made ‘homemade’ style cookies from the store a few weeks ago so he had something to contrast to it with and of course mine won hands down (they cost only £0.14p for one so you can see why he wanted to try it!).  

That's it for now - more to follow as usual check back soon. Enjoy!