Bread Making

This week I did something that I have put off for years out of fear of failure.

I was going to make bread.

Now I have made bread before, and from scratch too.

But always in the bread machine.

As a child, I grew up glued to the stool at the counter of our kitchen, watching my mom cook and bake.

Mostly, it was out of hope to get some dough or a batter covered whisk or spatula.

But also out of interest and curiosity.

My most popular recipes have been ones I have learned from my mom.

One of the things that I would beg her to make all the time was her white and cinnamon loaves.

I would watch her mix together the dough and knead it and wait impatiently while it had to rise.

Then when it baked...mmmm...that smell.

It was the best.

As soon at it was out of the oven she would pull out a stick of butter and rub it on the tops of the loaves.

Oh, that beautiful butter melting and glazing the golden crusts, it was so taunting!

Then the intolerable wait for it to get cool enough to slice.

I am sure I drove her crazy with "Is it ready yet?" "Now?" "How much longer?" "Come on!"

There was nothing like that nice warm slice of fresh bread.

Now I have had this recipe for many years but I have always been afraid of it because I know there are so many ways it could go wrong.

Yeast is a tricky thing.

But it came time to face my fears and test my baking skills.

What kind of baker would I be without ever making bread?!

So first the dough.



That went fine.

Then the kneading...for 10 minutes!

Ow.

Forget push ups, pull ups or weights, just make bread and you'll have awesome biceps!

Then let it rise.

Then roll it out and add cinnamon for the cinnamon swirl loaf then back up into a nice loaf.



Then let rise a second time and then bake.



WARNING: Following images may cause drooling.









Ok so the cinnamon swirl isn't perfect, got a few air pockets but it will still make awesome french toast!

So fear overcome, I made bread, and it is delicious.

The end.