First Kitchen Love
A little bit about my bread story
I loved Fridays especially, as we had a tradition of cooking ulusu with dumplings.
I have been making bread since I was at the age of 7 years old. It is the first thing I secretly made at in the kitchen while my mother and uncle were sleeping, it was in December of that year, just few days before Christmas. I remember this part because my father usually arrived just before Christmas as he worked up until then.
That day, my late dear uncle congratulated me for having my first dough rise without help. He said to my mother “this child will be a chef one day”. My uncle was the person who praised all my growing interests, including saying I will be an author one day, because I used to write poems for my mother now and then, I suppose, I was always an expressive and passionate child.
All of these developed my confidence, including the freedom my mother gave me to explore in the kitchen. She didn’t teach me how to cook, as she seldom cooked after my father had passed away. So, I took the reins whenever possible, and had no school exams.
I loved Fridays especially, as we had a tradition of cooking ulusu with dumplings. I couldn’t wait to leave school on Fridays, so I can go prepare the dough for dumplings. I was fascinated by how the same dough I use for steamed and/or pot bread would transform into something beautiful and delicious when cooked with ulusu – and immersed into the gravy.
Till this day my love for making bread still burns inside (like fire) like the first time I fell in love. Making bread has taught me that life is a process. Similar to falling in love with someone. You need to understand the ingredients to understand the process – as we need to (understand) the person we love the most to better love them and communicate or express their love language. More importantly, you need the ability to listen (figuratively and literally).
After mixing the flour, yeast, salt and water and starting the process of kneading, the dough tells you when to stop, to let it autolyse and start kneading again. Understanding this process helps with producing better and quality end result.
Although I have been making bread for over 20yrs., sometimes things fall apart, and I get not the end result I was hoping for. This can be caused by many reasons, from over kneading to using expired ingredients, or not focusing.
Like any form of relationship and life, things happen and we experience failures sometimes, but we don’t give up, we dust ourselves down and try again. So, don’t give up if your attempts fail, listen and pay attention to the process, it will give you answers.
However, a beautiful end result is always exhilarating like you never failed before. Just before the bread finishes baking, it gives off an aroma that is so warm and homely, and when the loaf comes out perfect, I cannot help but thank God for the beautiful creation.
Homemade Fluffy Bakery Bread
Equipment
- Stand mixer
- Digital Scale
Ingredients
- 525 g Bread Flour + 25g Flour (see note 1)
- 1 ½ Tablespoon Sugar Brown
- 2 Teaspoons Salt
- 8 g Instant Yeast
- 80 ml Sour Cream
- 350 ml Lukewarm Water
- 30 ml Vegetable Oil
Instructions
- Weigh all the ingredients.
- In a measuring jug, mix lukewarm water, sour cream and oil. Stir until the sour cream is liquifies.
- In a stand mixer with a dough hook, add flour, sugar and yeast then mix. After Add salt and mix.
- Pour in the liquid ingredients, knead on low speed (between level 1 and 2) for 2 minutes. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
- Knead for 2 minutes on medium-high speed (3 to 4). Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
- Knead for 4 minutes on medium-high speed (3 to 4).
- Add extra 25g of bread flour, then knead on high speed (4 to 5) for 2 to 3 minutes. Start slow first to incorporate the flour.
- Transfer the dough into a greased bowl (with oil), cover. Let the it rise for 1 hour or until it doubles in size.
- Coat a loaf tin with butter and flour.
- Roll and fold the dough to form a loaf shape. Let it proof for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 190℃.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown.
Video
