really old style living?

NualaBuala

Yes I could do that challenge easy peasy. :A

I keep my fresh yeast in the freezer and take it out a while before I make bread. I have a packet of dried yeast I got free but have never tried it. It's kind of earmarked for my winter stores.

Hope everyone's well . I'm reading all the time but have been trying to keep my gob shut and not chat too much ... it's soooo hard!!!

seasalt_2

Have not actually taken up either of these challenges but as it rained ALL day yesterday, I thought that would probably be the water one sorted and as I pretty much always cook from scratch I'll put my hand up for that one too.

ALthough the one thing I don't do very often these days is make bread! Did it by hand once a week for over twenty years but now that I can't eat it, DD1 has left home and OH only really likes white sliced, I give the youngest two w/m pitta bread instead. It's on offer fairly regularly in the Co so I stock up then. Also my wrists/thumbs are knackered and I need them for sewing!

ginnyknit

I think I may have a go at that challenge - well i guess it can start at midnight tonight when I put the bread maker on! Am going to try the soya flour instead of eggs in my cake tomorrow although I have lots of eggs now the kids have gone I hate to waste them in baking.

The fishing bait worked out really well, they cost 2.50 a bag to buy and I used one and a half tblsp of semolina and soya flour to make the same amount plus 1 egg and a bit of out of date spice, so we are quite pleased with the costings. Oh and I dyed them red by boiling them in the water I had just boiled beetroot in rather than buying food colouring - pure fluke that one I admit :rotfl:

So what is next to try guys, we have been very successful between us all to date making jam, bread, yoghurt and stocking up - who has a new idea for us???:)

ChocClare

ginnyknit wrote: »

So what is next to try guys, we have been very successful between us all to date making jam, bread, yoghurt and stocking up - who has a new idea for us???:)

Well, my old man runs his car on waste vegetable oil. Where I work, they have to pay to get rid of the oil (all commercial kitchens do), so DH picks it up instead, runs it through a centrifuge and then pours it into his car. Driving behind him makes you suddenly think about fish and chips, but it is very self-sufficient. Anyone fancy a go? :rotfl:

ginnyknit

ooh I wish, sadly our cars not diesel - but the next one maybe now - we are totally surrounded by takeaways! I think it is a brilliant thing bio diesel, what could be better than stopping all that waste oil going god knows where??? Very good business opportunity for someone too - but I bet the oil companies would have something to say. I think the reason its kept to small groups doing it to date is because if it takes off someone will decide you need a million regulations and a heap of tax to pay - so good going for those who can do it!

ChocClare

NualaBuala wrote: »

Yes I could do that challenge easy peasy. :A

I keep my fresh yeast in the freezer and take it out a while before I make bread.

Nuala, any chance of some idiot's-guide instructions? I would love to use fresh yeast (very cheap from Tesco - used to be free) but all my recipes call for dried. Do you keep it in appropriate-weights in the freezer or do you just take the whole lot out, break off a bit and put the rest back? Whenever I get fresh yeast and put it in the fridge we are NOTORIOUS for forgetting it, and then you find a plastic bag of slime a few weeks later...

NualaBuala

ChocClare wrote: »

Nuala, any chance of some idiot's-guide instructions? I would love to use fresh yeast (very cheap from Tesco - used to be free) but all my recipes call for dried. Do you keep it in appropriate-weights in the freezer or do you just take the whole lot out, break off a bit and put the rest back? Whenever I get fresh yeast and put it in the fridge we are NOTORIOUS for forgetting it, and then you find a plastic bag of slime a few weeks later...

Well from reading your posts you're far more advanced than I am! Wow - I can't believe someone is asking ME about something on OS!!! It's just that this is all I've ever used. I got the fresh yeast from the bakery dept from a local supermarket and a very nice man there told me to use about 25 - 30g fresh yeast per kilo of flour. He said use a bit more if I'm using wholemeal as it needs a bit of extra lift. I cut the yeast into chunks about 25g each and wrapped them in tin foil then put them in a plastic box in the freezer.

So whenever I make bread, I take out a lump, put it in a bowl and leave it to defrost (doesn't seem to take very long). I measure my tepid water in a jug (whatever amount it says on the flour packet). Then I add a little of the water with a smidgeon of sugar (maybe 1/2 tsp) to the yeast. It looks like nothing is happening and I worry my bread won't work but so far it has. If you're adding salt, that shouldn't get added into the yeast directly as it can kill it but you can add any oil you might be adding. So then I mix the flour (I usually do half strong wholemeal and half strong white) with a couple of pinches of salt. I mix up the yeast so it dissolves in the water, then I add it. Then I gradually add the rest of the water - the amount seems to vary every time - till I have a dough. Then I knead it for about 8 - 10 mins before leaving it to rise. I think the rising, knocking back etc is the same as with dried yeast.

By chance I came across this link from Weezl's thread and I think I will give this method a go next time. http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/freshlybakedbread_92265

I am no Delia so I hope this makes some sort of sense! Let me know if there's anything not clear.

ChocClare

Actually, Nuala, those are the clearest instructions I have ever seen so fair play to you! Thank you very much!

I just haven't used fresh yeast since I was at primary school, and trying to find recipes which translate dried to fresh seems to be quite difficult!

And don't knock yourself - we are a very "green" family, which ties in well with OS (and shuts up my DD's teachers when they do anything on the environment and say, now, what does YOUR family to to cut your carbon footprint?!) but that doesn't mean that I zip round the place like Barbara Good, whizzing up delicious meals made out of foraged heather or something. I have learnt masses from reading threads like these - so at least I know the theory, LOL, she says, sitting on the sofa with her laptop when she could be baking bread...

Pink.

Thanks NualaBuala,

I've always been a little bit afraid of using fresh yeast, but your clear instructions have given me the confidence to give it a go. :A

Pink

NualaBuala

Thanks a mill both of you, you've made my day!