Intentional living and baking 2025

EcoIntent

This is so exciting!! I’m on a mission now, and def will be able to get molasses!! Thank you both so much for this 😀

Katiehound

The Bing video- the Bread Kitchen had some great recipes.

I really like pumpernickel but I'm really not convinced that I would be prepared to cook a loaf for 6, yes, 6 hours!! I didn't realise that it would keep for a very long time.....

EcoIntent

@Katiehound I've subscribed on youtube, and watched her first ever video, I quite liked it - although the repeat kneading is different to what I do.

Just ordered molasses

Bread today is a sourdough, cooked in the dutch oven - so a little lighter.



Also made Parathas as did a homemade chicken tikka masala for tea 

Katiehound

See the comments on bread not rising on another thread.
fascinating YouTube about using sugar with yeast- quite an eye opener

Quantaqa

EcoIntent said:

Hi everyone, my goals for this year like many of us centre around a simpler intentional life. Part of this for me is to make as much of the bread we eat as possible, and to bake the sweet treats instead of buying ultra processed food. I’m proud to share that personally so far in 2025 with the exception of one bagel I have only ate bread I’ve made 🙂. 

I’m hoping there are other aspiring bakers out there who will share what you have made, and perhaps more seasoned bakers who would be willing to share some hints and tips? 

Today, I’ve made up a rye sourdough starter so hopefully before too long I can start doing sourdough once more. 

Hello @EcoIntent, can I join you please?  I've had this thread bookmarked for a while but never got round to posting.  My goals for this year are similar in that I want to live a simpler, more intentional life and insource as much as possible, from home cooking, baking (including bread) to other task like fixing/mending, washing cars, gardening etc.

Tonight I plan to make some cookies and possibly a cake for OH and myself to use as snacks to take to work with us. Probably oat cookies which are quite filling and a simple cake.  Last week I did an banana loaf and that went down really well.

My bread making skills are not as advanced as yours.  I tend to make simple sandwich bread using John Kirkwood's recipe on YT:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWpSbYV96_c&list=PLUISvii9kE48PCHhfGE2ZJ3BmfZlCU36V&index=4

Or this one that got really popular during lockdown:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0t8ZAhb8lQ

I also have a bread maker but I now prefer making the bread by hand.  I'll do a sandwich loaf this week sometime I think.

Brie

Not really baking and certainly not on the level of the experts here but I've got a small baguette (Lidl) that is not going to be used so wondered about making what I call bread pudding (the one you serve hot, with cream or...).  It should be enough to make a small portion for us both for dinner but my big problem is that I can't imagine making it without pineapple in it (blame my mom) and I can't justify opening a tin of pineapple and use a fraction of what's in there.  I won't use raisins, currants, sultanas.  I could pop in some blueberries I suppose.  Or maybe some apple.  And I'd need to buy some eggs.....     

It's first world problems like these that stop me dead in my tracks some days!!!

purpleivy

WickedLady4 said:

I tend not to eat bread but yesterday I made the Nigel Slater spiced ginger cake, which is delicious. I cooked it in two 8" square tins so have one to give to a friend tomorrow.

On my list to make as I have a load of ginger to use up.  Was it good? 

purpleivy

I made a rye bread a few weeks ago, was from the King Arthur site, which although American has weight measurew as well. It was caraway rye bread.  Was nice, I did it half plain and half with seeds. 

purpleivy

I have got the Dalarna horses that I was given and one or two people passed theirs on to me.  All orange.  I visited a friend in Sweden recently and she gave me a white one.  I love it!

Brie

purpleivy said:

I have got the Dalarna horses that I was given and one or two people passed theirs on to me.  All orange.  I visited a friend in Sweden recently and she gave me a white one.  I love it!

didn't know what you were talking about so I googled it!!  

Dala Horse History | Dalarna | The Swedish Wooden Horse Company

Just about shrieked in health and safety horror to watch them trimming the horses into shape!!