Something unusual happened last week.
Pete was getting some meat out of the freezer, and he mentioned that there were just two sourdough rosetta rolls left in there. That’s probably the lowest our bread supplies have been in years – no doubt a product of my recent photo-snapping hypomania. It was time for some serious weekend baking.
I baked eight wonky sourdough ciabatta loaves and a batch of supernatural brownies on Friday. Only four of the loaves made it to the freezer – the rest were eaten or given away.
These were followed by a batch of Dan Lepard’s potato stotties, which were gone before they had a chance to cool…
Inspired by lovely Joanna’s recent post, I baked another batch of semolina bbq buns. I’d forgotten how much I adore these! And it was fun to bake a couple of quick yeast breads for weekend eating – it made a nice change from sourdough.
As usual, I over-scored these, so some of them broke apart into teeny tiny mini buns. We had visitors on Sunday, and their small children were absolutely delighted…
I uncovered an old tub of ricotta in the fridge nearing its expiry date, so I drained it and tipped it into a small pie dish. The top was drizzled with a little extra virgin olive oil and topped with a scattering of citrus salt, rosemary and thyme, then baked in a hot oven until firm and golden. It made a great accompaniment to the buns and stotties…
And finally, I baked four large (1.3kg) white sourdough loaves in my Römertopf clay loaf pans. These have become a house standard – the boys enjoy having “toast” bread, and I love not having to preheat the oven. I now cut the loaves in half before freezing them, as the wolves have been known to defrost and eat a whole one at a single sitting!
I baked two regular loaves, and two with the Billington’s Molasses Sugar that I bought last week. The small change resulted in a deeper coloured crumb and crust…
I slashed the tops with two sweeping arcs that crossed at either end, which produced a nice, even oven spring. Pete made a comment about loaves and fishes…
So…the bread drawer in the freezer is fully restocked. But given that school holidays are imminent, I’ll probably be baking again next weekend!
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
That’s so much baking Celia and it all looks amazing. I love how you bake your own bread and have a stash of it in your freezer. And what a great idea with the ricotta. That spread on the bread would be delicious. The citrus salt sounds like it would give the ricotta a lovely zing. Yes, school holidays. They do come around quickly. I seem to always have someone home. Archie’s just had two weeks of holidays and he goes back to AIM sometime this week, Arabella’s about to graduate and finish so she’ll be around for most of the rest of the year and fortunately the little guy is just getting two weeks off. Not that I don’t love them, it’s just, they get in my way and like you, they eat all the fresh baking! xx
Charlie, they always seem to be starving, don’t they? And they never seem to put on weight! :)
I am so envious that you all can eat so much bread. It just doesn’t agree with me so well… despite that, I eat it periodically. Your freezer and family must love you, Celia!
Thanks Lizzy. I’d like to think they’d love me even if I didn’t bake. ;-) Lots of bread eaters here, if not the kids, then the neighbours! :)
That really is some serious baking… blimey it all looks so good! I need to find something new to instagram :D
Hope you’re having fun with it, Nick!
Lovely,lovely bread!
I made so many loaves while we were on vacation that I was baking every day and still there was not enough bread to freeze. There is something about a whole loaf of bread toasted up in one session that just doesn’t seem right!
Your bread is an inspiration- I’m going to have to make some more now that I’m home. Maybe I can fill up the bread area in the freezer!
Heidi, I know you understand how warm and happy I feel having a stockpile of bread in the freezer! They do go through it quickly though.. :)
you are amazing… they seem so beautiful and so delicious, made me hungry now :) Thank you dear, love, nia
Thank you, Nia! Hope you’re having a lovely week!
Wow! You really did bake up a storm this weekend, Celia, and it all looks so very good. Your ciabatta loaves look just like the ones I purchase each week at a little bakery nearby. And what a great use for some ricotta. I cannot wait to tell my Zia about it. She’s going to love it!
John, the Italians taught me that trick! Baked ricotta is always on sale at the delis, but it’s so simple to make at home!
It always amazes me that a bag of inedible-in-its-raw-form flour can turn into such delicious-staff-of-life loaves like this Celia. And there is nothing more satisfying than a well stocked freezer or pantry :) xox
Becca darling, thank you for understanding. I love that when I’m too tired to cook, we can always eat baked beans and eggs on homemade sourdough toast. :)
Once again you’ve inspired me Celia. I taken the long-neglected starter from the back of the fridge and, even with just one feed, it’s looking lively!
Amanda, hope the starter has recovered well! x
Fabulous looking breads as always Celia. I love the look of those stottie cakes – I wonder how I can work those into my meal plan, perhaps alongside your baked ricotta ;-) Dan’s barbeque buns always look so pretty don’t they, I’m not surprised your guests loved them. I must make them again, I remember the recipe being really successful. So many new things to try, but so many old ones to enjoy too.
Caroline, I find that when I’m really busy, it’s lovely to have something tried and tested to fall back on. The stottie cakes are a treat, I did wonder why I don’t make them more often…
Yay the ricotta how-to!
What a wonderful weekend’s work.
I love the top of the loaves Celia. So simple and pretty!
I had a failure yesterday. I went out and finally bought myself a proper loaf tin so I could make ‘toast bread’ but the recipe I used was terrible. I’m turning it into crackers.
Claire, the best recipe I’ve ever found for toast bread is Joanna’s. My sourdough version is a riff on that, but her yeasted one is also superb…
http://zebbakes.com/2011/02/18/white-bread-toast-bread/
Hi Celia, hope you had a good weekend. Not a blog reply, but not sure if this will blog or email! Just thought you might want to listen to BBC Radio 4’s The Food Programme, aired today and tomorrow afternoon, it is on Australian food culture and how it got there. I think it will be on Listen Again after it is aired tomorrow afternoon. Thanks for all the fun stuff and good baking on your blog! Allison (chocveg)
Allison, thanks for the headsup! For folks wanting to listen from here, the program can be found at this link:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01mhsdy
Magnificent!
Cheers, Dave. Still trying to replicate that Cumulus Inc loaf…
what a bake off celia..i love the ricotta makeover..that type of creativity tends to get me more fired up than a visit to a gallery..:) xx
Jane, it’s such a nice way to use up ricotta, and a lot easier than trying to make a cheesecake! :)
I am in absolute awe. As someone who hasn’t got the knack with bread (cakes, yes; anything yeasted beyond pizza dough, no) i am truly amazed by your skill. and sourdough, too! AND the prodigous quantities! gobsmacked.
You’re very kind, thank you. The secret to bread is to just keep doing it. After several years now, it’s become second nature..
I always love to see the bread you bake. It’s so inspiring, Celia. Bread baking is on my list this winter. I’m sure I’ll be consulting you!
PS- Just out of curiosity, do you have a separate freezer chest to store all of your bread and other goodies? I want one desperately.
Emilie, please don’t judge me..I have two. One really old one that is set to its warmest setting just for storing flours and pulses, and a proper dedicated one for everything else. We couldn’t manage our lifestyle without them, and despite the electricity costs, they save us a fortune in time and money.
Oh no Celia, I don’t judge! I think it’s great that you have 2 freezers. You produce a lot over there!!! I actually have 2 refrigerators (long story), so don’t feel bad :)
I would love to give one away and purchase a separate a freezer. Like you, I I freeze many things and it makes sense to do it this way. Thanks Celia!
What a busy woman you are; we’re all in awe!
Monday is the day to make Joanna’s rye and grain loaf…..it has become my weekly bread now.
Celia, when I looked at the link for the brownies the butterscotch bars just begged me to make them………..have you ever used a small amount of molasses sugar when you make the bars?
Elaine, thank you – the molasses sugar is quite new here, so I haven’t tried it in anything other than these loaves yet. It might be nice to add some to the butterscotch bars though..
Awesome Celia…I know the feeling of getting low on sourdough and other ‘real’ bread in the freezer. There are time when you just must bake and re-stock! Your bread looks amazing :)
Thanks Jane! I love that so many of my blogger friends understand – my other friends just think I’m bonkers. :)
Lovely bread Celia. I might try your ciabatta again…. You never know, this time …. The ricotta idea is very simple. How good did it taste?
Glenda, the ricotta is lovely – it bakes solid and can be sliced and served. We love it!
What a wonderful post :) I aspire to breakmaking but right now the baked ricotta is on my do-able list. Everything you show & tell looks wonderful – thank you.
ED, thank you! The baked ricotta is very simple – there’s often leftover ricotta here, so we’re always looking for a way to use it up! :)
Wow, Celia, I’m exhausted just looking at the photos. What a huge task all that baking was. I do wish we lived closer. :)
Maureen, I actually really enjoy the baking, although I do find yeast based baking more time demanding than sourdough, which can be ignored until you feel like doing something with it. ;-)
Looks good. I am still working on the shape of my loaves, like the Little Engine, “I think I can, I think I can.”
Rose, it’s taken me a while, but I’m finally happy with the shape of the Romertopf loaves!
Wow you’ve been busy! Will you even have time to have any adventures! ;)
Hehehehe… I’m not going to say anything. :)
I am officially intimidated by all this baking, specially the successful bread, just made banana bread and carrot cake, testing low fat recipes but slice them, interleave with paper paper and put in freezer so I won’t eat it at once, I need to rent your boys….
Roz, they’d eat you out of house and home! :)
wow, that was baking up a storm! I need to get a session of baking done as well but I don’t have the time :)
Tandy, ironically, it’s when I don’t have time that I have to bake – I need a back up stash in the freezer for all the times I’m too busy to cook! :)
That all looks so wonderful. Do the wolves help with the washing up in return for the feast?
Jo, the wolves are wonderful, they always help. :)
What a productive time you’ve had. At least you found out before your bread supply ran out; I’m often convinced there’s more bread in the freezer only to search fruitlessly or find a solitary roll.
Anne, so glad you understand! :) We came close this time!
Oh you have cooked your little soxs off havent you. ???. I love a bit of baked ricotta .The perfect thing to do ( I must try rosemary next time)
Yep, it was a fun weekend! :)
Oooh, your baked ricotta looks fabulous!
http://mykitchenstories.com.au/2012/09/baked-ricotta-with-mushrooms-tomato-and-basil/
Your baked goods always look so beautiful! I particularly like the little “fishes”. I’m not a very skilled scorer but I keep trying. :)
Misky, I’ve given up trying to score high hydration loaves, but it was fun to try out new shapes on the top of the toast bread…
You baking fiend you. This all looks amazing, as always.
Thanks Greg! Everyone gets snarky here if their carb levels get too low. :)
Echoing Rufus’ s comment. How I envy you a baking day. I find that baking two loaves at a time is all I can manage these days.
Sally, you’re feeding teenage girls, do they eat as much as the boys?
No!
So, when did you say we could expect that bread baking book on the shelves? Celia, you are just beyond incredible with your baking – I don’t think your boys will ever want to leave home.
:-) Mandy xo
Mandy, you are very kind, thank you! The boys will be leaving home eventually, and hopefully I’ll be able to deliver bread to them! :)
What an incredible weekend of baking. Your kitchen must have had wonderful aromas spilling into the rest of your home.
Karen, the house did smell glorious! Thank you! :)
I have to make that sourdough ciabatta right now! i am going to begin revving up The Mother! c
Celi, the ciabatta is a house staple – it’s lazy bread for me, I barely knead it and it only gets the one rise! :)
perfect, i am the archetypal lazy cook!
Oh WOW that is a baking session ! I’m off to check out your potato stotties :)
Claire, we love them! It’s one of our favourite Dan Lepard recipes! :)
Dear Celia,
So much freshly baked homemade goodness! The “wolves” would certainly not go hungry! That baked leftover ricotta is so simple yet looks awesome! I might try that even with a new tub.
Chopinand, hope you enjoy it! :)
Wow! I made a lovely coffee…
Oh well, I didn’t do that, I don’t drink coffee.. :)
Quite a weekend!!!!! Hope your supply will last a little while so you can have time for all your other activities.
Norma, if all goes well, I might get nearly a fortnight from the weekend’s baking.. :)
Let them eat bread and brownies she says….I love it!! That could be a good name for a book or film don’t you think – “Bread and Brownies”. Yeah. Good things. Wish I had one of those brownies sitting beside me right now. Yum!
I am impressed with the quantity of bread you baked – how were your arms after all that kneading?! I love the romertopf too and it has become my standard bread baking – love having it go into a cold oven. I seem to be able to manage the timings better without that wait for the oven to warm up. I have given on up freezing loaves as my family pretty much refused to eat the loaves that came out of the freezer (we have a freezer problem in this family!). Perhaps that will change when the kids get to hungry wolf teenage years and get less fussy (?).
Hi SG! I barely knead at all these days, just a few minutes at the start of the process, and then I just ignore it all until it’s time to shape. Yes, you DO have a freezer problem in your family – mine would starve if they wouldn’t eat defrosted bread! :)
You know, I just got a bread maker and I’m still THRILLED when a new recipe from the machine turns out well. I can’t imagine how it would feel to produce all of these gorgeous breads and rolls. You’re such a rock star!
SK, thank you darling. :) Glad you’ve been having so much fun with the breadmaker!!
Fabulous bake off, Celia! Your loaves all look delicious, no wonder they don’t last long! Loving your baked ricotta too..I must try this. :)
Thanks Chris! It’s nearly all gone now!
Wow, that is a lot of baking, and everything looks wonderful I can just imagine how good it smells. I like to use clay pots and stoneware for cooking and baking (what little baking I do) I need to get out there and practice!! I will try making the potato stotties! :) Nice!