Pumpkin Bread

The first signs of spring are in the air and today for the first time in six months I was able to wear a dress without thick stockings to keep me warm. It's so nice to feel the sun on your skin after being wrapped up in so many layers all winter. It's crazy to think how quickly this year is passing, as it only feels like the other day I was writing a blog post lamenting how autumn was slipping into winter. I was so worried that this winter would be dreadful, since I had to get up at 5am everyday in the dark, but instead of being a season of drudgery it really was a very romantic winter. I really got into the cold season this year and filled the house with the smell of freshly baked breads, pies and braised meat dishes. When it got too unbearably cold I just turned on the oven to warm the house and used it as a good excuse to cook something delicious.

Now that Spring is here I've started to think a lot about all the warm weather things to do. I'm pretty excited to start picnicking in parks and taking trips to the beach.

To celebrate my first day of spring where I wasn't cooped indoors at work I decided to bake some pumpkin bread. Making bread feels like such a celebration and is such a great skill to have. Lately I've been thinking a lot about how when I was living at home my mum would always jokingly quote the line from 'Napoleon Dynamite' where his friend says "girls like guys with skills." We always used to laugh at it, but in all seriousness, I love a man who has skills. Stock brokers, bankers and any kind of corporate man hold no interest to me in comparison to a man who can grow a garden, fix a faucet, make some cheese, build a table, or forage for wild herbs and mushrooms. But why should my love of skill stop with the men? Let's be honest, anyone who has an excellent skill is pretty awesome. People who just 'do things' are my favourite kind of people, and I think it's so important to learn skills of how to be more self sustainable. I've been reading a book lately about how our generation is making a move towards relearning traditional skills that previous generations have disregarded in preference for an easier more luxurious life. The thing is though, there is no point in having a luxurious life if you are missing out on all the beauty and satisfaction that comes from making something with your hands, watching something grow, or creating something beautiful.

So I've decided to launch a new segment of my blog that will hopefully run weekly on little life skills. Just nice old fashioned things, or cooking tips that are easy to miss out on in life, if you weren't raised by an artist and a nursery man and home schooled on a farm (purely a hypothetical there.)

This week however I’m going to share my pumpkin bread recipe with you.

Pumpkin Spice Bread

You will need:

• 1/4 cup of luke warm water
• 7g of yeast
• 1/3 cup of milk
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup of steamed mashed pumpkin
• 1 tbs of olive oil
• 4 cups of bakers flour
• 1/4 cup of brown sugar
• 1tsp of salt
• 1 tsp of paprika
• 1tsp of rosemary (fresh or dried)
• Semolina for dusting
• Seeds or nuts of your choice for garnish

What to do:

• In a small bowl combine the water and yeast and sit aside until foamy.
• In a separate bowl combine half the flour, herbs, spice, salt, and sugar.
• Mix in the pumpkin, egg, oil, milk and yeast mix. Stir until combined.
• Slowly add the remaining flour, you may not need it all. Just keep adding it and mixing until you have a smooth consistency that is easy to knead and not too sticky, but not too tough.
• Place the dough on a floured surface and knead for ten minutes.
• Place the dough in a large oiled bowl, and cover with a damp cloth. Place in a warm spot and allow to double in size.
• Once the dough has doubled in size punch the dough to knock all the air out and then leave to rise again.
• When the dough has risen for the second time take the dough and shape into an oval. Place on a dray dusted with semolina. Cover with a damp cloth.
• Heat your oven to 250 degrees with a pizza stone or flat tray inside.
• Once the dough has grown by at least 2/3 slash three times across the top with a sharp knife. If you want you can also sprinkle with some seeds or nuts for garnish. Carefully transfer the bread onto the hot tray and place in the oven. Try not to knock the bread around too much so as not to loose the aeration.
• Steam the oven 3 times in the first ten minutes. This can be done by either spraying water into the oven, pouring 1/2 a cup of water into a tray into the bottom of the oven, of my favourite technique of just throwing 1/2 a cup of water into the bottom of the oven and quickly closing the door (it also helps to clean the oven)!
• After the first ten minutes turn the oven down to 200°.
• Turn the bread after another ten minutes so that it cooks evenly.
• Bake until golden all over and has a hollow sound when you tap the bottom.
• Cut off a big chunk of fresh bread and burn your mouth while eating it.
  
  
  

Home Made Olive and Rosemary Bread

"What should I wear?" This is a question all girls ask themselves when they have a date. My main question however is "What should we eat?" Just as the perfect outfit says something about your personal style, your life, your choices, and who you are so does the food you make. Im insanely superstitious about the first meal I cook for a boy. Firstly I want to know what kind of message the meal will it send. You can't go all out and cook a roast on a first date....its much too serious, and to settled. Fish is weird for a first meal, don't ask me why, it just it (with the exception of cured fish....thats romantic.) Chicken is boring. Red meat is usually pretty safe. Its warm, and sort of sexy. If the man is vegetarian however you are really going to run into trouble there. Im all for home made breads and pastas but only if you really like the boy. You don't want to be spending hours kneading and proving a beautiful loaf of bread, to go and waste it on a fling.

The meal needs to be romantic (of course), interesting, and in some way a little hint of how you might feel for that person. In saying this though, you cant go all out. Serving a boy a seven course degustation meal pared with wines in the same as turning up to a casual date in a prom dress.....just a wee bit too much. On the other extreme, if you don't put in effort it would be the same as turning up in track pants and a jumper (which lets be honest, I couldn't do as I don't own either.)

Another awful mistake would be to cook a meal for a boy that you have cooked for an old flame. Its like taking him to a special place you had with an ex. It just feels weird. New memories must be made.

I know this all sounds terribly complicated, but in reality its one of my favourite parts of the start of a relationship. When recently talking to a friend about their desire to meet a man one of their main reasonings for needing a relationship was so that they would have someone to go to brunch with. In the same way I feel there is nothing quite so beautiful as cooking a meal for someone.

Whatever you decide to cook for your gentleman or lady caller, I firmly believe that making home made bread is one of the most romantic things to cook, even if its just for yourself. Today I made myself a beautiful loaf of bread to eat for my breakfast in the morning and share with my housemate. I always fall a little bit in love with the process of watching it rise and grow into something truly beautiful.

This olive bread recipe Im giving you today is quite stunning. I was so very pleased with the way it turned out and its pretty simple to make. I know some people find bread making intimidating, but really its not. The main thing is to make sure you have plenty of time. I usually make bread when I know I'll be home all day, that way if it takes longer to rise then I expected, it doesn't matter. Don't rush the bread. Just let it do it thing. Remember that yeast is a living organism and be prepared to let it do its thing....however fast of slow it may decide to be that day.

 Olive and Rosemary Bread

You will need:

• 600g of strong (or bakers) flour
• 400g of wholemeal flour
• Big splash of olive oil
• 7g dried yeast
• 1tsp of honey
• 625ml of warm water (not hot) 
• Large pinch of salt
• Cracked pepper to taste
• 3 tbs of dried rosemary
• 1 large handful of pitted olives that have been cut up. 
• Semolina for dusting.

What to do:

• Mix together yeast, half the water and honey. Set aside until it has bubbled.
• In a separate bowl mix together flour, salt, olives, pepper and rosemary. Make a well in the middle of the mixture and add oil, yeast mix and the remaining oil. 
• Mix together until a dough forms and then place on a floured bench. 
• Knead the dough for 10 to 15 minutes. This is really good for your arms (builds great muscles) and my favourite time to think.
• Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover with a damp tea towel. Place in a warm spot and allow to rise until doubled in size. 
• Knock back the dough and then shape into whatever shape you want the bread to be. I usually make a large oval shape. Place loaf onto a large tray dusted with semolina.
• Allow the loaf to rise once more until it is doubled in size.
• While it is rising preheat your oven to its highest temperature with a flat tray inside. 
• Once your bread is all lovely and big, very very gently transfer the loaf onto the hot tray and slash it with a knife a few times across the top to make 3 or 4 deep incisions. This helps the loaf to cook evenly, but also just looks damn pretty.
• Place the loaf in the oven (do this so carefully so as to not knock any air out of the bread) and spray the oven with some water. This is actually a really crucial step that a lot of home bread makers don't know to do. It gives the yeast the perfect environment to grow one last time (and make your bread really big) before it dies off. The best way to do this is with a little spray bottle but as I dont have one, I usually just throw 1/4 cup of water into the bottom of my oven to create the steam. This of course isn't practical if you have a gas oven! The spray bottle is probably the safest option. 
• Spray the oven 3 times within the first ten minutes of cooking and then turn the heat back down to 190 degrees. 
• Cook the bread for around 34 to 40
  
  
  
  
  
  minutes. To be honest I cant really give you a time as it all depends on your oven and how large the loaf grew and what not. You can check to see if its ready though because the bread will have a lovely golden crust and when you pick it up, and top on its bace it will sound hollow. 

How To Make Home Made Bagels

I walked into the cool room at work yesterday and was greeted with the sight of a large box of quinces. They were all beautiful in their wonky looking glory, and wrapped in purple tissue paper.....Im not quite sure why? I was so excited seeing them there ready to be poached and made into a tart to go on our winter menu. Its such a wonderful feeling knowing that people are coming into a restaurant and eating deserts that I have been dreaming up. Its also lovely to just know that the box of quinces are there because I ordered them. 

I really have been falling a little bit in love with my job lately. Dont get me wrong it is NOT all sunshine and roses, but there are just some days where I am so happy to be baking treats for other people to delight in. 

Maybe its not just work that is making me so cheerful. Maybe its this wonderful feeling I have that something grand is about to happen. Im not sure what yet....but Im very certain. I think its the cold weather inspiring this idea. Everything just feels so charming and clean in the cold that you cant help but feel like there is something good just waiting to happen. 

One small lovely thing that happened this week was making bagels. I was surprised at how easy they are to make, and it feels like such a treat having freshly baked breads in the house. Like living in a bakery!

One of the girls doing work experience at my work gave me the recipe. I hope you enjoy it. Dont be intimidated by using yeast. Its really quite easy....just dont worry if it takes longer to rise in the cold weather. 

Home Made Bagels

Ingredients:
300g plain flour
4g salt
15g sugar
3g dry yeast
160 to 170g water (warm)

What to do:

• Mix all ingredients together to form a ball. The mix should be soft but not too sticky. I added a little extra water. Just make sure you have a nice elastic dough.
• Knead dough for five minutes and then place in a bowl covered with a wet towel to rest for 20 minutes.
• Divide the dough into four balls and cover with a damp towel to prove. They should grow about 30 percent. 
• Next shape the dough into balls with holes in the middle. Leave in a warm place to prove for 20 minutes to an hour or until they have nearly doubled in size.
• Bring 1.5 liters of water to the boil in a pot along with 1 tablespoon of honey.
• Gently add one bagel to the water and cook for 30 second on each side. Remove from the water and repeat with the remaining bagels. 
• Once all the bagels have been boiled place them on an oiled tray and bake in a preheated oven at 210 for 12 to 14 minutes.
  
  

Cheesy Kale Bread

These days my home is always filled with treats. Everywhere you look there is evidence of it. Cook books are always scattered across the dining room table. The mixer is usually going.....and there is ALWAYS cake in the fridge. I wish I was exaggerating.....but I am not. Today on a date a boy asked me if I like eating cake, being a pastry chef and all. "Oh I've got a little bit of a sweet tooth," I lied.....wanting to play down the situation. I felt it would have made a bad impression to say "Yeah I eat  cake everyday....somedays for breakfast." 

Saying like this either gets one of two reactions. Most people thing "Goodness that is unhealthy" and then I have to back it up by telling them how I go for lots of long runs (a tiny bit true) and how I eat healthy a lot of the time too. The other reaction is "Goodness how wonderful!" Mostly I like the people who  come out with the second answer.

I've been working on these wonderful little chocolate cookies this weekend. It was bliss spending all day in the kitchen yesterday baking, and making treats for my friends. So much love comes out of this tiny kitchen.....so many dinner parties start because of what goes on in this tiny kitchen.

I know I do go on and on about cake eating quite a lot ......and I can't lie, it does happen a lot, but I don't want you to get the complete wrong idea! As much as we are about cake in this house (and we are) we are also about lots of good organic vegetables (that are grown on a farm just down the road), home made bread, freshly made muesli, lentils, and lots of other healthy things.

Some nights there is nothing that makes me more happy than a huge bowl of vegetables for dinner. There are just so many wonderful things you can make, that make you feel so good and healthy. Lately I've been so addicted to kale chips, and just kale in general. So I thought I'd share with you the recipe for cheesy kale bread my housemate and I made last night. I found the recipe on an amazing blog called 'Fox Lane.' I really recommend you check it out. We adapted the recipe to what we had in the pantry and it turned out super lovely.

Is there any great healthy recipes you are making in your homes? Leave a little message and let me know what you have been baking!

Cheesy Kale Bread

2 cups of wholemeal self raising flour
1/2 cup of milk
1 cup of wilted greens cut finely (we used kale and spinach)
1/2 cup of crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup of tasty grated cheese
salt and pepper
Any dried herbs you feel like adding (I think rosemary, thyme, and sage would all be lovely.....maybe even a few chilli flakes.)

• Mix all the ingredients together to make a wet dough. (This is soooo simple!)
• Place the dough on a floured bench and roll into a log.
• Break into 3 pieces and roll into long sausages. 
• Plat the 3 pieces together, and place on a tray lined with grease proof paper. 
• Brush with oil, and sprinkle with a few extra herbs.
• Bake in a preheated hot oven (200) for 40 minutes

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Today I made bread.....I'm going through a bread phase, and its excellent. I'm loving it so much (nearly as much as the pie phase, and a heap more than the scone phase.) There is just something so very wholesome about making your own bread. Its best to do when you're having a home day so you can give it as much time as possible to prove, and rise. So its perfect for a lazy sunday........I know, I know, making bread from scratch doesn't sound like a lazy Sunday, but trust me, it feels sooo good. The kneading is so good for your soul, and having fresh bread for breakfast makes getting up at 6 am so much less scary. Unlike the picture of me......which is super scary. So scary in fact, I had to hide behind the bread.

This is a treat bread, and its so very yummy. I got the recipe of another food blog and I've tweaked it to work for me. Give it a go and let me know what you think.

Cinnamon swirl bread.

What you will need:

• 1/3 cup of milk
• 1 and 1/2 tbs of butter
• 1tbs of olive oil
• 1 egg
• Half a cup of warm water
• 1 and 3/4 tsp of yeast (just the dried packet stuff)
• 1/8 cup of sugar
• pinch salt
• 1 tbs cinnamon
• 1/2 cup of currents
• 1 and 3/4 cups of plain flour
• 1 cup of wholemeal flour

For the filling:

• 1/4 cup of sugar (I used raw caster sugar......its less processed, better for you)
• 1 tbs of cinnamon
• 1 tbs of milk

What to do: 

 Place your milk, butter and oil in a pot. Warm slightly so that the butter melts. Put aside to cool.



Next place warm water (just luke warm...you don't want it to be too hot or the yeast wont like it) in a bowl with the yeast. Leave for about 10 to 15 minutes until it starts to bubble.

Once your milk mix has cooled down add, beat the egg and add it.

The next step can either be done in a kitchen aid or buy hand. Basically all you need to do is mix all the ingredients together. So place the cinnamon, sugar, currents, yeast mix and flour in a bowl. Give it all a stir, and then slowly add the egg and milk mix.

Once all the ingredients are incorporated, its time for the kneading! In a kitchen aid you the dough hook attachment, but if your doing it by hand, just use a lightly floured bench. Knead for about ten minutes until the dough is soft and elastic. If its a little big too sticky feel free to add extra flour.

Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a damp tea towel. Leave it here to rest until it doubles in size. This will probably take about an hour. 

Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it in the middle to knock the air out of it. Roll into a rectangle and brush with milk.

Mix together the cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle over the bread. 

Roll the bread up into a log shape and place in an oiled bread tin. Cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rest for about an hour until it has doubled in size. If it takes longer thank this don't worry, just give it all the time it needs.

Bake the bread in a moderate oven (180) for 45 minutes, or until its brown on top and sounds hollow when you tap it on the bottom.

Healthy grain bread.

What makes you feel the most like yourself? I know for me its when I'm in the kitchen, or when I'm having friends over for a dinner party. Everyone seems to have a place, or something that just makes them feel completely happy or at ease. And then there are those who seems to be comfy in there skin (lives, clothes, jobs, and relationships) all the time. Gosh I envy these people. I'm sure you know the ones I'm talking about. They just don't seem to care what anyone things, and fit in everywhere. They are unafraid of everything and are just so unbelievable cool. I've always wondered what these people have.....what their magic trick is that makes theme so at ease.

Lately I've been learning, that you can only get to this place in life when you truly stop caring. When it doesn't matter what people think, or say, you become free to do whatever you like, and well.....thats unbelievably cool. Recently I spent the decent part of my night trying to explain to a friend everything I was doing. They wanted to know why I was shaving my head (EEEkkkk its only one week before I shave my head for 'Be brave and Shave')? Why I spent time with the people I spend time with? Why I spend my free time baking bread (ok I get that shaving your head is a little out of the ordinary at times....but who the hell questions why you make bread from scratch....my question for you is: Why aren't you making bread from scratch)? Why I felt the way I felt about life. I tried to justify every single one of these questions, and by the end of the night went away feeling sad. Everything I wanted to do had to be explained, and I really started to care what this person thought. 

The more I think about it, the more I'm sure that the only person in life you really need to impress is yourself. Everyone has different standards, and everyone has a different idea on whats important in life. You however are the one making the rules for your life. So get comfy. Settle into your skin, settle into your decisions, settle into your believes, because there is nothing quite so unbelievable awesome as doing whatever makes you happy no matter how quirky that is. 

So really the secret is kind of a contradiction. The less cool you get the more awesome you get. Well I must be getting pretty fantastic....... because some days, I'm just such a dag. 

Also, do yourself a favour........make some bread. Its so good for your soul. It makes you feel good inside (unlike how you feel when you steal your housemates beers.....again. I'll buy you new ones I swear! Or at least pay you back in heaps and heaps of baked goods!) 

Healthy Grain bread.

I've been making this recipe and eating it for my breakfasts every morning. Its such a good way to start the day. Its so very healthy that it wouldn't even matter if you layered peanut butter and honey on top of it.......every morning....not that I do.....but just say you did.......I don't think it would be a bad thing, and I wouldn't judge you. 

What you will need:

• 1/8 cup of warm water
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 packet (7g) of dried yeast
• 1/2 cup of milk
• About 1/3 cup of water
• 1/4 cup of honey
• 1 tbs golden syrup
• 1/8 oil (I used olive)
• Half an egg
• 1/2 tbs of lemon juice
• 1/2 cup of oats
• 1/4 cup of sunflower seeds
• 2 and 3/4 cup of wholemeal flour
• Pinch of salt

What to do: 

1. Firstly, take a big breath. Making bread isn't scary....its easy.
2. Place the 1/8 cup of water with yeast and sugar in the bottom of a bowl and leave for 10 minutes until it turns bubbly.
3. Add the milk, water, honey, egg, syrup, oil lemon juice, oats, seeds, and a bit less than half the flour. Give it a good mix. Place a damp towel over the bowl and leave for 30 minutes to rest.
4. After its had its nap, add the rest of the flour, and knead. If you have a kitchen aid it will only take about 4 minutes with the dough hook attachment, if not you will be doing it by hand for about 10 minutes. Its good therapy. Knead the mix until its elastic and smooth. If you need to add more flour so it isn't too sticky go ahead.
5. Place dough back into bowl and cover with towel again. Place it in a warm spot and let it double in size.
6. Once it has doubled punch it in the middle to knock all the air out of it. Give it a 30 second knead.
7. Roll the dough into a log shape and place in an oiled bread tin.
8. Cover it again, and let it double in size (this will probably take about one hour to one and a half hours.)
9. Once it has doubled in size bake in a preheated oven at 180 for 25 to 35 minutes. It will be golden on the top when its ready and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. 
10. Eat it. 

Wholemeal barley and linseed bread

Turning 22 this year had made me feel a tiny bit more serious about life. It seems like everyone is getting on with growing up this year. Most of my friends are either married, moving in with their boyfriends, or getting into serious relationships. Also I've been watching as everyone around me is turning there uni degrees into proper careers, or going on to study something else. One of my friends is completing there masters this year, while one is starting there business as a freelance graphic designer. One of my best friends who has been studying journalism has even been lucky enough to cover Melbourne Fashion Week for one of Australians best selling fashion magazines. Its crazy. We are all turning into adults and doing grown up things..............and its kind of made me wonder what the hell I'm doing?

Somedays in this crazy city I have no idea what I'm doing. For the past week I have been fighting the urge to 'grow up' by sleeping in late and watching too much gossip girl. Don't get me wrong, its not that I don't want to....its just sometimes I don't know how.

I think we all have days (weeks, or even years) where we're just not sure what we are doing this our lives. It seems like everyone has a different idea of what 'making it' in the world means, which makes it hard to pick which standard to live up to. Some believe its all about your work life, love life, and social life, while others believe its religion. I have a friend who had disregarded all of these, in order to find inner peace and happiness.

So I've taken on a big topic here....the meaning of life and all that. Its what I have been thinking about today (in between napping and watching gossip girl) and unfortunately I didn't work it out. I also didn't work out what my next move should be, or how to go about it.

What I did work out though, is how to make an amazing new bread recipe. Although this wont fix my love life, career, or give me inner peace, it will provide breakfast for at least the next few days. So while all my friends continue on with there fantastic love lives, and blooming careers I will be happy for them, and continue to bake loaves of bread.

And you know what? For now, I think I'm ok with that.

Wholemeal Barely and and linseed bread

You will need:

1/3 cup of pearl barley
3 and 1/3 cups of wholemeal plain flour
2 x 7g packs of instant yeast
2 tsp of sugar
1 tsp salt
50ml olive oil
225 to 250 ml walm water
1tbs linseed meal
2 tbs sunflower seeds

What to do:

1. Place pearl barley in a pot and cover with water. Simmer with lid on for 20 minutes, then drain. 
2. Mix together flour, yeast, barley sugar, and salt. Stir
3. While mixing slowly drizzle in oil and water. The dough should be firm and a little sticky. Use all the water if needed.
4. Knead the dough for 5 to 10 minutes, until soft.
5. Place in an oiled bowl, in a warm place and cover with a damp tea towel. 
6. Let the dough rest until it has doubled in size
7. Punch the dough down, and knead for 2 minutes.
8. On a clean bench sprinkle linseed meal, and sunflower seeds.
9. Place dough onto bench with seeds, and shape into a loaf size.
10. Place in an oiled loaf tin, and cover with a damp tea towel until it has again doubled in size.
11. Place bread in a preheated oven at 210 for ten minutes, then turn down the heat to 180 for 15 to 20 minutes. The loaf should be golden brown on top and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. 

Russian Easter Bread.

Easter has gone by so quickly, and yesterday I realised that if I didn't get on with my Easter baking soon, I'd miss the whole holiday, and have to wait a whole year to try out all my recipes. I did a bit of research (because I can be a bit nerdy at time) on all the traditional easter food and found this gem. Its a Russian easter bread, and its quite similar to hot cross buns in flavour (spices and dried fruit and what not.) I know it looks intimidating to make, but really it was quite easy. Give it a go, because is so pretty and festive.

You will need:

• 14g dried yeast
• 1/3 cup of caster sugar
• 3 and 1/3 cup plain flour
• 1tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup of sultanas
• Zest of one orange
• 4 eggs
• 150ml of milk
• 60g, soft butter

For the eggs:

• Four eggs
• 2 tsp of red food colouring.

What to do:

1. In a small bowl mix one teaspoon of sugar, and the yeast with 50ml of warm water (don't make the water too hot or it will kill the yeast, just nice and warm.) Leave for 15 minutes until it gets all bubbly.
2. In a large bowl sift your flour sugar and cinnamon. Add 3 of the eggs (one is used for a glaze later), butter, fruit, zest, milk and bubbly yeast mix.
3. Give the mix a good stir and then turn out onto a floured surface and knead for five minutes.
4. Place in a bowl, cover with a tea towel and put somewhere warm to rise. Leave it for about an hour or until its doubled in size
5. While waiting for this, place your eggs and food die in a pot of cold water, bring to the boil, and then let simmer for 10 minutes. Switch off the heat and leave until the water has cooled.
6. When the dough has risen enough, punch it in the middle (this is called knocking back the dough) and then separate it into two.
7. Plat the two pieces of dough and place the loaf on a tray lined with grease proof paper. Cover it with cling wrap and leave in a warm place again for an hour to rise.
8. It should double in size again! Heat your oven to 190.
9. Push the coloured eggs into the bread. Beat an egg, and brush over the whole loaf. Cook for 25 minutes, or until....cooked

Hot cross buns.

My blog got a bit of a revamp today. My lovely sister went over it all and fixed everything up. So now its all shiny and new. I on the other hand spent a lot of my day baking. I made hot cross buns and some fresh bread.

I had the whole day purely to myself today. It was really lovely. I had plenty of time to think, and feel. I have such a lovely lifestyle here Melbourne, it sometimes makes me a bit sad that I have no one to share it with. I go to pastry school, live in a beautiful area, work selling cupcakes, have some lovely friends and spend my free time in cafes, cooking and writing. Its such a beautiful life. I feel like I really know how to live. I'm never the last person to leave the party, or out till the sun comes up...but I understand beauty in life. I know how to enjoy all the things that are important and that means a lot to me. Making friends has always been easy for me (because I will talk to anyone) so I'm never really alone. And although some of my dates have been disasters lately, when I meet someone I really care for, I know how to love with all my heart and show it.

I'm looking forward to meeting someone that I can share all this with. I'm learning very very very slowly how to be alone. I don't always enjoy the process. Mostly I'm much to busy to notice...but at times, gosh I hate it.

Today I did a bit of an explore of my new town. I looked in lots of boutiques at things I cant afford. It was nice just to wander around town. For the rest of the week I'll probably catch up with some friends and maybe even go out a night or two. I feel much more rested after today. I still have a bit to get done before term starts back again.

There is a bread maker in my new house so I decided to give it a bit of a go today. It was so wonderful! I couldn't believe how easy it was. I'm so used to making bread from scratch with all the proving, and rising, and knocking back and then again probing and rising. All I had to do was add all the ingredients and press start. The bread came out perfectly, with so little effort. I loved it. I'll probably give it a go making it in the oven too....because I think that sort of thing is fun (weird I know.)

Anyway I made some lovely chocolate chip hot cross buns today, as its Easter and all. Here is the recipe for you. They take a bit of time, but are quite easy, and its just so festive.

Hot cross buns

You will need:

• 4 cups of plain flour
• 14g of dried yeast
• 1/4 cup of caster sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1 and a half cups of dark chocolate chips
• 40g butter
• 300ml milk
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

For the crosses:

• Half a cup of plain flour
• 5 tablespoons of water

What to do:

1. Sift the flour and sugar in together.
2. Add yeast, eggs, and cinnamon.
3. In a pot melt butter. Add milk and warm.
4. Add milk and butter to the flour mix
5. Add chocolate chips. Stir till mixed
6. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for five minutes till soft and elastic.
7. Place in a bowl, cover with a tea towel and put in warm place for an hour and a half or until it had doubled in size.
8. Knock back the dough (punch it right in the middle) and then roll into 12 little balls. Cover with cling wrap and place aside to double again.
9. Mix together the flour and water into a paste until smooth.
10. Use a piping bag (or just cut a corner off a zip lock bag) to make make crosses on top of your buns with the flour mix
11. Bake in a preheated oven at 190 for 20 to 25 minutes.
12. Then bit into them while they are still hot and burn all the insides of your mouth...well thats what I did anyway.

Focaccia

Is it possible to be this hungry? Although I have been in a kitchen all day, making and eating bread, all I have wanted to do is eat. I'm so very very hungry. But what is it I crave? Bread? Chocolate? More coffee? No I don't thinks so.

Is it possible for your whole being to be hungry? There is a word for this in Portuguese and it is translated as "a longing, or wanting, for someone or something." Its so very beautiful. Why don't we have a word like this in English?

My head has been so busy this week. If only I could quiet it, learn to enjoy being alone, eat less carbs, run more, try harder, be simpler, achieve more, stress less, enjoy more, care less, and do more, then life would be better.

I spent all day in class convinced that my bread wouldn't rise. I was so very sure everyone's food would be better than mine. I took it all very personally. My bred was fine and all my deserts turned out lovely. Some of the other classmates however had huge cooking disasters. One girls cake just didn't rise at all and looked like a flat bread. Why must i be so hard on myself.

I think maybe if I was a bit kinder to myself things would fall into place a lot more. Its my mission for this week. I'll let you know how it goes. I'll start it right now by eating a big plate of lentils and eggplant.....lovely.

I'll give you a nice simple bread recipe to make this weekend. You can make it into a sandwich or serve it with a soup. Enjoy.

Focaccia

What you will need:

• 250 ml of water
• 5g fresh yeast
• 375g bakers flour
• 10g salt (it sounds like a lot, but you need it)
• 20ml of olive oil

What to do:

1. Warm your water on the stove so its blood temperature. You don't want to boil it or some of the water will evaporate and then your mixture will be all wrong.
2. Add your yeast to your water and stir until you cant see it anymore
3. Sift your salt and flour together
4. Make a well in the flour and add the yeast mix, and 10 ml of the oil.
5. Stir it together with your fingers
6. Give it a good knead for 5 mins. If its too dry add some more water, if its too wet add some more flour. Remember though it will look too dry before you knead it, but after a few minutes of working the dough it will look wetter.
7. Put it in a bowl and cover with glad wrap. Leave for 2 hours or until its doubles in size
8. Punch the dough to get some of the gas out of it (get out a bit of pent up anger when you hit it....... I usually think of a relationship that ended badly.......only because its good for the bread)
9. Shape the dough into whatever shaped bread you want.
10. Brush it with the rest of the oil and sit on a tray
11. Leaver for another 30 to 50 mins until it has doubled in size again. Don't worry about needed it to get it into the oven quickly. Give it time to prove properly or your bread wont be happy
12. Place in a preheated oven at 180.
13. If you have made small loves they will take about 15 mins. Large will take around 20 to 25. You will know when they are cooked, if when you tap them on the bottom and they make a hollow noise.

Enjoy your bread and be happy

Brioche

Walking down the street today I saw a boy I liked. We were both polite and had a little chat then went our different ways. I turned to my friend next to me and asked "was that awkward?" just in case i had imagined the strain I had felt holding together a conversation. She told me she could barely stop herself from laughing the whole time.

I have no idea what is wrong with this guy. On the way to school today two men wolf whistled at me, and four cars beeped. I don't want to be arrogant, because its not that I think I'm all that.....but today I looked good. My stockings matched my scarf, my jacket matched my shoes and my dress matched my eyes. For goodness sake i was wearing knee high stiletto boots. Even my undies matched my bra (not that he would have known this, or anyone else for that matter)

None of these stupid dates I have been going on seem to be working. I have no idea why? I'm a nice girl! I care about things. I'm smart. I'm interesting. I'm only 21 and I feel like I have lived a lot. In two years time I will be both a qualified chef and pastry chef. For goodness sake men, I can bake bred from scratch! From scratch! That's got to count for something doesn't it? One man that I was interested in recently confessed that he was intimidated by me....because I wasn't stupid, and then it ended. This confused me no end.

The dating world is like yeast. It needs water and food....but most importantly the right temperature. The perfect temperature for making bread is the same as your blood (between 25 and 35 degrees.) If you leave it to prove in a cold place it simply wont grow. Too hot however and it wont survive. Even if you get the temperature right but leave it too long your yeast will grow, eat all the food (flour and water) and then die. Its such a game of balance. When you get it right though, and your dough is the perfect texture, it is so amazingly satisfying.

We are focusing on yeast goods this week at school. Maybe I could learn something from it. Tomorrow I will be baking focaccia, brioche (which is heaven), savarin paste, danish paste, and chelsea buns. So very very beautiful. I sat in class watching the teacher kneading and stirring, and I could hardly hold in my excitement. It was a miracle I didn't jump up and start cheering half way through the lesson.

If you would like to give my idea of heaven a shot, here is a brioche recipe for you. Don't worry its easier to make then dating Melbourne boys. Hope you enjoy it

Brioche

What you will need:

• 250g flour
• 100ml of milk
• 15g of fresh yeast (if you want to use dried yeast thats fine, just use 7.5 g instead)
• 25g butter
• 3 eggs
• 3g salt

What to do:

1. Sift your flour
2. Warm your milk to room temperature and then add your yeast. Stir until it dissolves.
3. Add your salt and sugar to your flour.
4. Add your milk yeast mix and your eggs.
5. Cut your butter into small chunks and add it bit by bit to your mix. Stirring it in and pushing it against the side of the bowl so that it becomes Incorporated. The consistency should be that of a thick pancake mix. If its still too runny add a bit more flour.
6. Cover with glad wrap and let it prove for about half an hour till an hour.
7. Butter and dust some moulds with flour (you can use a muffin tin
8. Knock back your dough with a spoon (basically just give it a whack with a spoon)
9. Fill your moulds with dough about 3/4 full.
10. Let prove for another half an hour.
11. Bake at 200 for 20 to 25 minutes.