Baking Cont.

Usually, I'm a savoury cook. Back home, the times when I’m most happy in the kitchen are when the music’s on loud and I’m raiding the freezer, fridge and cupboards for inspiration. Plus my Mum loves it when I produce a ‘using what we’ve got' meal.
Unfortunately, my stores at my flat at uni are not quite as well stocked as yet, and almost every meal has to be cleverly thought out and carefully shopped for. Even then it is almost too expensive to not cheat here and there to make your meal that little bit easier to produce.

So, right now, as my freezer, fridge and cupboards slowly stock up, baking feels like the only true bit of cooking I’m doing. Where it’s totally mine from scratch to end product. And, like last week’s brownie’s; it’s so bloody cheap, easy and satisfying to make.

My new study timetable has thankfully dictated that I have every Friday off. However, I was actually a bit worried about how to structure this new free day without getting a bit flat/campus bound or letting the guilt rise alongside the amount of work I’d been issued. Baking this loaf (Walter is his name) neatly side-stepped these issues by giving me an undemanding, stress and boredom avoiding project.

Shopping for the basic ingredients got me out of the flat first thing, making and kneading the dough gave me a little work-out and was thoroughly therapeutic. During the first prove I dedicated myself to a straight hour of work. Then I padded back to the kitchen to tend to my baby, knocked him back, made some lunch, then happily applied myself to another hour of work on a different topic. 

And here he is, after his stint in the oven:

There is something about the smell of baking bread that is so entirely homely. It lingers on more than the penetrating smells of other baked goods, and it softly cloaks you with it’s warming comfort. Walter smelt just delicious. And, let me tell you, he tasted even better - knowing he was raised by hand.

Basic Bread

Strong white bread flour - 500g
Salt - 2tsp
Yeast - One 7g sachet 
Olive oil - 3tbsp
Warm water - 300ml

1. Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl. Add the wet ingredients and mix with your hands until it all becomes a raggedy mess. Keep mixing until the mixture forms a dough, clean the bowl with this dough then tip out on to a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10-15 minutes until all is smooth.
2. Drizzle your mixing bowl with a bit more olive oil and then put the dough back in, cover loosely with lightly oiled cling film and leave to rise for one hour. (As my flat isn't particularly warm I filled a large tupperware with hot water, sat the bowl on top and covered them both with a tea-towel)
3. Line a large baking tray with baking paper (you really can't avoid getting some this time - buttered foil just ain't gonna work) then knock back your dough.
4. At this point you can add some extras if you wish. I used chopped walnuts to add an extra bitter but buttery crunch, but any nuts seeds or flavourings would work well. But make sure you don't add any more liquids as this will affect the rise.
5. After gently kneading for a few minutes. Shape your lovely dough in to a ball and place on the lined tray to rise in a warm place for another hour.
6. Heat oven to 220'C/200'C fan/gas mark 7. 
7. Slash the top of your risen dough with a cross of about 6cm in length. Then bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden-brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
8. Once cooled I sliced and froze Walter so I could enjoy him toasted with jam and peanut butter for weeks to come! Of course you don't have to freeze your loaf, but remember the bread will go stale rather than mouldy as it was freshly made, and then you can whizz it up in to bread crumbs to sprinkle on top of a cheesy pasta bake, or to mix with herbs and spices beaten egg to coat some chicken pieces for goujons... I could go on!

Comfort Food

Baking is a wonderful thing. Not only is it comforting to eat but it is comforting to cook. It should never be cast aside as some frivolous and unnecessary activity; it holds comforting and mediative qualities that calm your thoughts and regulate your heartbeat - like stroking a cat. As Nigella says; ‘baking is a mixture of chemistry and poetry’, which I interpret to mean that it connects and balances the left and right side of your brain and therefore centres you.

The magic of baking aside, I believe that by starting up this blog with a post about baking, I am establishing my new uni larder with essentials that I now need to replenish continuously. Flour, butter, eggs and sugar are vital frugal staples. From them, countless savoury meals can be made, as well as some comforting baked goods. 

My chocolate brownie recipe, that originated from a basic vegetarian cookbook, produces - in my eyes - the perfect brownie, and I have eaten quite a number in my time. It emerges from the oven a dense but gooey slab, with a crisp and shiny surface that crackles as it's cut. The other geometric-style layers include the dark and squidgey interior, the just-set, fragile and almost dusty base and the chewy crust that forms around the border.

A group of me and my new uni fwends got together to watch this weeks episode of The Great British Bake Off together. Although we’re still just getting to know one another, I think we all found it thoroughly comforting to watch such a genuine and simple programme, drinking tea and eating cakes and brownies. At this gathering, no pre-drinking was involved, we weren’t doused up in make-up or feeling apprehensive about the night ahead. Everything was eeeeasy and comfortable and I for one was real happy. This is Conman (below) without whom this blog or, indeed myself, would not be in such a healthy looking state!

Freshers week has been testing to say the least. The best times have been when I have been surrounded by people, drinking, eating and laughing. The worst times have been when I have skipped a meal, eat alone or over-indulged on booze or shit food. What Freshers lacks is structure. Next week I am going to find a rhythm to this strange new life of mine and this rhythm will be found in the regular cooking and eating of 3 healthy meals a day with enough energy used up in between to keep me hungry! But it has been baking that has kept me afloat this strange, strange week. It has forced me to stock up my larder, get to know my kitchen and share; which has therefore got me in the good books with some thoroughly lovely people.

Epic Brownies

Chocolate - 3oz/85g

Butter - 4oz/115g

2 large eggs

Caster sugar - 8oz/225

Self-raising flour 2oz/55g

1. Preheat oven to 180'C/350'F/gasmark.
2. Grease a 12inch/30cm tin, ideally about an inch deep. I didn't have any baking paper so instead I lined tin with foil and rubbed it liberally with butter. Don't hold back on the butter.
3. Melt the butter and chocolate together. I do this carefully in the microwave but you can do the whole bowl over hot water shit if you wish.
4. Whisk the eggs in large bowl and beat in the sugar till pale yellow.
5. Stir in the melted butter and chocolate in to the eggs and sugar mixture, then sift in the flour.
6. Mix well and pour in to tin.
7. Bake for 20-25 mins until almost completely set then leave to cool and cut in to lil squares.
8. Serve with tea or glasses of milk and if you are at home your family will cherish your existence and if you're at uni..... go make some friends bruddah!