September 1, 2008 *Bread Post*

Today I woke up at 7 and started my baking process.  It had been just over 18 hours and although the bread hadn't risen quite like the Breadtopia video, but it was either toss it and start over next weekend or give it a go.  I chose the later.  This is a separate post because today was insanely busy and productive, and Susan wanted a step by step pictorial.  You asked and you shall receive... besides, this isn't exactly a gardening post.  Ignore it if you don't care about bread making.

First, I turned out the blob onto the well floured board...



So far so good.  Then as the instructions said, i flowered it and pressed it out into a rectangle.



I sure hope all my pics today don't turn out blurry.  This is annoying.  So after this, it was easy to fold into thirds, then half the other way, and then cover with plastic.



Then, since I didn't spend money on a rattan basket, but did run out and get wheat germ to sprinkle on a towel and then put into a bowl to give it the basket shape... creative I thought.



After an hour and a half and preheating the oven and my make-shift la cloche made out of a pizza stone and a crock pot liner.  I worried the whole time that it would break being empty, but it held.  Funny thing is that the silicon oven mits stuck to the liner great when cold, but they slipped off at 500 degrees.  Boy was it hard.  I need to get something better.

After 45 minutes of baking, I threw it on a cooling rack for a few hours...



Unfortunately, it came out a bit dark and a bit flat.



But it still tasted great!  And based on DoubleD's comment, flat happens here.  And I thought I let it rise overnight too long.  Anyway, it's worth trying again.  That is, after this loaf is done.  It's a keeper!

Good luck with your own bread, find out more at Breadtopia.com!