Bread Experiments

Eating brioche after brioche in France, when we got home I missed eating brioche for breakfast. Instead of paying 5 euros for a loaf of brioche at the market, I decided to try and make some. This was quite an adventurous idea – as I had never made bread before. Most baking books will tell you to start small with some bread rolls or a loaf, but I am not a normal person. Not only did I begin my bread baking with a challenging brioche recipe, I also do not own a Kitchenaid and was determined to get a great result by simply kneading by hand.

Everything was going well. I had made the dough and let it rise. Mixed in the butter and got it silky smooth. And also achieved the window pane test. It was only until the final rising step that everything went horribly wrong. Long story cut short I ended up with dry brioche that tasted more like a bad scone. But as stubborn as I am, of course I forced myself and S to eat it – as it had taken abot 5 hours to make. I have decided that it is impossible to make brioche without a Kitchenaid and will just have to try again once I own one. (hint to S).

Of course this did not deter me from the idea of baking my own bread – as S had hoped. This time I decided on something smaller and easier. S had bought me a new cookbook of classic baked British recipes. This book had an amazing bread section with really easy recipes and directions for people like me – who are just learning to bake bread. It even had an alternative method to using a Kitchenaid. – Bonus! So I made some of these Thyme and Sun Dried Tomato Bread Rolls.

I have to say, they are the best bread rolls I have ever eaten (even if I do say so myself). Definately now a Sunday tradition. I don’t want to give away the recipe too soon, as I want to change it a little and make it my own. Recipe coming soon!