Feeling very much like a Susie Homemaker

[mandy24]

I feel so "homemakerish" right now. LOL My bread dough is rising while my freshly milked goats milk is pasteurizing. I LOVE it, I really think, most of the time, that I was born in the wrong century. I get such out of making things here, growing and canning our own food, supplying our own milk and bread, homeschooling. I love it all and we have

Comments

[ancora_imparo99]

I'm with you love! Have you tried my bread yet?

[mandy24]

No! I had to start over, I didn't know how to knead and after I started I realized (after looking it up) that I had not done it right at all. Which may explain why it didn't really rise much at all. LOL I am starting over right now!
What size are your loaf pans? I only had 1 and Lee picked me up to that were 5lbs. It wasn't the size I had in mind.

[ancora_imparo99]

Wow!!!! Lee want's some BREAD! LOL Hang on I'll run out and check - I haven't packed a thing in the kitchen yet....mine are 9 1/4 x 5 1/4 x 2 3/4

How long did you let them sit to rise and where did you have it? Sometimes that makes all the difference.

[mandy24]

I put it in a bowl, covered with a towel and sat it on my hutch.

These are 12x6x3 1/2! My other one is the same size as yours which is what I would have bought. LOL He went to general dollar and I think these were the only ones they had. He just knew I really wanted to make it so he got them. I wonder if I should bake one at a time.

[ancora_imparo99]

it my not have been warm enough for your dough to rise quickly.

I haven't had success doing one loaf at a time. Personally I find that the 2nd one doesn't turn out so well.

[mandy24]

I forgot to say last time that I let it sit for an hour. I just started over and I'm not expecting it to work this time either. I am doing something wrong...Do you soften your butter. I have been, maybe that's it. It just seems SO watery and in order to knead it I have to add a lot of flour. Does yours seem like that or am I majorly screwing it up? I put it in my room to rise this time because it's a lot warmer in there then it is in the dining room.

I WILL get this someday. Lee called and I told him I was having a good time but I was majorly screwing up the bread. LOL I don't know if it will be today but someday I will get it right. ;)

[ancora_imparo99]

No I don't soften the butter. and I stir in more flour than it says (I stir in as much as I can physically stand - until my arm/shoulder just screams 'stop') then I knead in as much more as I can - just until it's no longer sticky. Then leave it to rise. My first rise usually takes at least an hour - sometimes longer.

With kneading I even sometimes pick it up and slam it back down a few times - great for any stress you may need relieved - I've read that can help develop it as well.

My mom (who, when I was a babe) made all our clothes, all our bread - everything - said bread making is one of those things you can tell someone what to do, but it's up to them to figure out how to do it. Your four and yeast may behave differently than mine and it's determined by so many factors - warmth, moisture in the air...

[mandy24]

Oh good! I think I may be okay then. I read some bread making sight that said you should only add small pinches of flour so I was all paraniod that I had used to much. Maybe it was watery because of my softened butter, I got it okay once I added more flour and it kneaded fine with the extra flour. I shouldn't have read anything extra. LOL I think I'm going MUCH better this time. I'll be sure to let you know!

[mandy24]

IT ROSE, IT ROSE!!! I am so excited I feel like a little kid. LOL