merlie's blog

but certainly not my worst ! This is a practice run - I intend to try again next week . It tastes delicious but did not rise as expected. I " babysat " the starter for a week , feeding it every four hours on the final day. The final proof ( in the Brod & Taylor Proofer at 80F ) took eleven hours to reach within an inch of the top of the mold ! I took it out of the oven at midnight...... Just wish I knew what I did wrong . Maybe I should ask myself what I did RIGHT the time it turned out perfectly two Christmases ago ! Merlie

This is a favourite in our house . Jeffrey Hamelman's Toast Bread. 1lb 9oz dough in each of two Pullman pans . (enough left over for two rolls) when toasted it is crisp on the outside and soft in the middle - love it !

I did not dare make anything that needed to be slashed for homemade bread day. Still have not mastered this art despite the many lessons and videos . Want to cry every time Alfonso posts his baguettes !

Merlie

Growing up in England in the late forties, early fifties, Tatt's cafe Near Folkestone Central train station served the most delicious Belgium Buns. I remember them being 4-5inches across and about 3/4 of an inch high. They were soft and sticky. filled with currants and glazed with transparent icing. It seems that there is only one recipe on the whole of the internet for these wonderful buns but although I have tried it many times it is just not right! Does anyone else remember these buns or have a recipe for them?

I was interested to read the different recipes found for Malt Bread. On trips back to England I have always brought back loaves of this yummy sticky bread. I kept the list of ingredients from the wrapper of one of these loaves and after some trial and error have come pretty close to the real thing! At the time I had a bread machine so made it in that - but now make it like any other bread. I believe the most important ingredient is the diastatic malt flour - this is what makes it sticky. I have not been able to find caramel colouring since I recently moved to BC.