Goal Number 8: Learn to Make Bread!

I declare: I'm officially a bread baker!

When I set out to rid myself of the fear of working with yeast and the fear of kneading (which always sounded like a very advanced culinary skill), I decided that I had to successfully make at least 3 types of bread - including french bread. I am proud to say, that day has come!

I have made dough with yeast. I have kneaded. I have made BREAD! Edible, tasty, beautiful bread.

Some more tasty, some more beautiful, all edible, all bread.

To date I have made: Easy No Knead Bread; Focaccia; Honey bread; and French Bread. There are now so many more breads that I get to try making. As appears to be the beginning of a trend, I wondered before I made my above declaration - could I claim to be a bread maker? could I claim that i have completed my goal? I have not made dinner rolls or pizza dough or basic sandwich bread. Who was I to declare myself a bread maker?

But I quickly realized that the fact was that I now feel no fear in faces those new bread challenges. I am ready. Ask me to bring those to a dinner function - and I will gladly make them! Which means, I've made it to the other side - from non-bread-maker/fearer of yeast and kneading to breadmaker. Yahoo.

Bring on the delicious wafting aroma of fresh baked bread, please.

I ain't afraid of no yeast!

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For anyone's that's tempted to break some of their own fresh baked bread, let's talk about the breads I've made quickly.

I was so worried I wouldn't see an "indentation"

French Bread -

I used trusty Betty Crocker's French Bread Recipe. 

After looking back at the recipe, I never refridgerated the dough or let it rise a second time - suggesting that bread is a lot more forgiving than I had ever believed. 

Some mild regret not doing the recommended egg wash for a shiner, prettier bread. But still delicious!

 No Knead Bread - Discussed in a previous post.

The Prettiest Bread!

 And the Focaccia!

I followed this recipe from the Cake Duchess, but added caramelized onions and shallot seasoning as I had no tomatoes on hand. It was freaking delicious.

I can't find the recipe for the Honey Bread - such a shame! I will find it though, because that bread was good.

Um, Yummy sandwich bread! Yeah, I made that.