A couple of weeks ago, I bought myself two bags of bakers flour.
I usually buy one at a time, and I’d already picked up a 12.5kg bag of Manildra flour on our last trip to Harkola.
A few days later, Big Boy took me out for a decaf piccolo at Coffee Alchemy in Marrickville. I asked him to swing past Southern Cross Supplies on the way home – after all, it’s foolish not to take advantage of a strapping 23 year old when you have access to one. The addition of the 25kg sack of Ben Furney Premium Bakers meant that I suddenly had 37.5kg of bread flour in my kitchen.
I was pretty excited – having so much flour on hand in autumn is a huge gift (in summer, it’s a burden, as the heat leads to bug problems). Here are a few photos from this week’s bread making mania…
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An experimental filled fougasse, made with Jamon offcuts, Dorset cheddar and dried Greek figs. I used the same dough as our stuffed focaccia (tutorial here), but shaped it into four fougasse at the end rather than a slab…
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I had cocoa leftover from chocolate truffles, so I tried stenciling a couple of sourdough loaves. My design skills are limited to very simple paper cuts…
I’d spritzed the top of the loaf with water before dusting, then made two long slashes on either side of the cocoa…
I was pretty chuffed with how they turned out! Baking in an enclosed pot meant that the rise was controlled, so the design was preserved on the finished loaf…
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Small Man came home from uni yesterday and I said “I’ve baked some focaccia for you”. He cut himself an enormous slice and ate it plain…
The leftovers were sliced up and frozen…
They’re the perfect base for a quick pizza lunch that the boys make for themselves – defrosted, cut in half and topped with tomato sauce, cheese and fridge finds. Here’s a photo from last year to show you what I mean. I’d like to point out that Big Boy and Small Man don’t usually have beer at lunch…
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I made two loaves of walnut sourdough, then drove to our friend Nick’s house to leave one at his doorstep (he was pretty pleased).
I also baked these macadamia, pecan and walnut loaves. They’re seriously dense, with nearly a quarter kilo of nuts in each loaf (recipe is here). The crumb is tinged purple from the walnut skins…
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Finally, my truffle salt encrusted loaf – burnt or artisan? I kept forgetting to put the timer on, so it baked longer than usual, but the end result was particularly delicious…
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As I’m typing, there are two batches of sourdough proving in the kitchen – one will be turned into cheese and olive rolls, and the other into a white toast loaf.
Happy days! I hope you’re having as much fun in your kitchen as I’m having in mine! ♥
Is Big Boy available for Flour Toting Hire? ;)
It all looks delish as always Celia. Thanks for those photos re the stencilling, I am so non-arty (says the art shop owner) that I would never have thought to try it that way.
You’ve been busy! The stencil loaf looks too pretty to eat. All the lovely bread pictures have me getting hungry.
Nope not having fun in my kitchen these days Celia. :( long story) but I love your blog post entry this morning – being an overcast, windy & chilly day one must bake bread! My bread has never turned out as artisan as yours nor risen as high. Just flat and sourdough just spread its way lazily… But of course we still ate it!! I need to come over your place & watch you do it – visuals always work for me! Haha.. Have a blessed day Dear Celia. xx
P.s.. Your stencilling is perfect!
There’s always something delicious cooking in your kitchen Celia x
After more than a ten year hiatus, I am taking up bread baking again. I had just started when circumstances pulled me in a different direction. I was going to start this Saturday with your focaccia recipe. Keep your fingers crossed for me Celia that mine comes out even half as well as yours. Your breads are simply beautiful.
You’re such fun Miss C, you always inspire me. I wouldn’t have been surprised if Small Man had cut a slice, left the slice and mooched away munching the slab! Your filled fougasse sounded lovely and the stencilling has given me bread roll ideas for my grandchildren. A young man to whom I gave some starter a few weeks ago – plus a sheaf of your recipes and tutorial notes – and a loaf of bread – knocked on our door this week and gave me a large tub of ‘home grown’ honey which is absolutely delicious. Bread spreads the love:)
Loving all the beautiful bread you have going on, Celia! I’m using Thing two and making a rye,spelt,wheat loaf with walnuts,sunflower seed,quinoa,rye berries, oatmeal, and sourdough loaves that will hopefully be good for my diabetes.
What a treat, sight for sore eyes, etc!! now I want to eat Bread :)
Hmmm. I’m imaging the heady aromas in your kitchen! Womenlivinglifeafter50.com
Amazing…what a fantastic selection of breads. I have the same problem with keeping flour when I’m in Spain in the summer but in England it’s not a problem. Manic right now with a speedy renovation but hopefully back to baking next week. Am feeling inspired by you ☺
A lovely bready post Celia. I just pulled out my starter to get back into baking. Sorella had been hanging in the fridge for more than two weeks without top ups but, whacko the diddle-o, she bounced back to life ( phew). I am rather pleased to be home and baking again.
Cheese and olive rolls? Are these hiding somewhere in your bread files? I want some of those!
Fra, I use this recipe: https://figjamandlimecordial.com/2011/08/24/playing-with-bread/
… Flatten it out after proving, fill it with pitted black olives and grated cheese, then simply roll it up and slice it into rolls. After a brief second rise, they’re then baked at 220c with fan for 15 minutes, then at 175c with fan until golden (usually another 15-20 mins). Should also work with the overnight sourdough recipe.
Thankyou so much Celia xxx
Fabulous!!! Love all that flour, how wonderful! I love the walnut loaf in particular, but everything looks fab :)
It all looks and smells wonderful Celia. Hoping to get into mine on Saturday too. Today I spent in the kitchen painting it with orange chalk paint. Yes orange!!!! This house is all pine boards and bright one here decided to add some colour. The first one looked terrible and the half wall of a different colour ….worse…so now it’s orange. I will wax it with a dark wax. I am keeping fingers crossed. Love the stencil work. Blessings Marilyn
That walnut bread looks interesting – I will have to try it. The focaccia/pizza idea is wonderful. I will have to try that if I can keep The Management away from the plain bread. Your kitchen must smell fabulous.
Goodness, what a prolific outpouring of bread! I love the smell of fresh bread I the house and the real pleasure of sitting down to eat something that appears simple yet is wonderfully versatile and sometimes complex.
Wow Celia – that’s a lot of flour! The loaf with the cocoa is delightful but I am most impressed with that slab of focaccia. Delish!
Wonderful bread Celia, you’re the best! I’ve sent a few packages of spelt starter out, hope they’re working for their recipients as well as it is for me. When I was working in a commercial kitchen we had our bags of flour sealed in plastic garbage bins, never had an issue with bugs. Love the sound of the nut bread, it’s on the todo list.
Luscious looking bread. My latest ‘make up’ is cranberry, raisin and walnuts–a very nice combo. Have you tried Dan Lepard’s Walnut bread? It’s quite heavy with lots of rye but he has an interesting technique of grinding some of the walnuts with honey to a paste. I can beat you on the flour front–Went a bit overboard and had over 100 kg.
Liz, if you look at my walnut loaf recipe, you can see it’s based on his technique. But I missed the bit about the honey! :) Yes, 100kg, you win! :)
To me that truffle salt loaf is the perfect colour. Love a little caramelization :)
Hi Celia. Francesca kindly sent me some of her dried starter and I have had a wonderful time baking and experimenting. I had been waiting for your next bread post to acknowledge your excellent tutorials and inspiration. Many thanks and best wishes, Andrea
You’ll have finished that flour in no time at all. How wonderful to see how proud Australians are of their produce.
Have just taken out some rather “artisan” biscuits from the oven.
Wheat is the backbone of Australian agriculture, and we think our wheat is the best in the world! :) We’re all proud of it, not just the farmers and bakers! x
very impressive! I wish I could bake more often, but the truth is that even baking perhaps once/month, we still have too much bread in the freezer, since it’s just the two of us.
tomorrow we host a small reception for the department, I intend to defrost some walnut bread to serve with cheese, and that should give me reason to bake more bread! HA! ;-)
Hi Celia!
You always inspire me. I recently made your filled focaccia for my husband and son and they loved it. Your method was perfect. So detailed and easy to read. I would love to make mini cheese and Vegemite scrolls for my hungry, hungry boys. Do you think the focaccia recipe would work?
Bec, yep, it should work fine! Thanks for trying out the foccacia tutorial! :)
You are an artist of baking! Everything looks amazing.
You had me laughing out loud… a lot of flour and a lot of bread. I’m still on my original bag…
I decided to make bread today and I came to visit my favourite bread person. I’ll see how I go. As long as I can sit on a stool for much of the time, I’ll probably be okay. You are my inspiration!
Nutty sourdough! Why have I never thought to do that? I love the purple hue. I imagine they’d be delicious smothered with butter. Or dare I add even more nuts with a nutty spread! Oh the possibilities xx
I bet that sown wheat seeds dream of growing up to be flour in your kitchen, Celia, with mention in your IMK post to be as close to heaven as each could hope. :D