The Baking Bug Again

One restless Saturday night I had to bake else I would not be able to sleep. I was playing around with the basic Classic White bread recipe which you know how much I love. I started with getting the yeast slurry ready at 10pm not a good time to start a baking project. Come to think of it I do like to do it at that hour of the day. It makes me feel like a pro yet the baker's toque is missing. I loved to watch the bakers at work in the Mumbai bakeries as a kid but little did I understand about hygiene then. I also remember the visit to Britannia's Sewri plant organized by my classmate Maria D'Souza through her Dad ages ago. That was the first time I saw the kneading machines and huge racks loaded with fresh baked loaves the mesmerizing effect lasted long.

Gopium brought back at lot of memories to me of Fort and the walk home from school all the way from Regal just to save up the bus fare to feast on samosa and Goldspot in the school canteen. We passed by Yazdani's and the Monginis first bakery before they shifted to Andheri plant. Taking in the wafts of fresh bakes and eagerly awaiting Chacha Deepak of Akbarally's to hand out the Monginis cakes and goodies every Divali. Chacha Deepak was Akbarally's answer to Santa.

Getting back to the baking fantasy:

Step 1

Once dough was ready. Oiled the tray shape the breads. I made one plain one cheese. For the Primitive Cheese bread made deep cuts in one plain bread and filled up with cheddar cheese cubes. I'm saying primitive as now I have advanced to make a better one that is going to be one of my upcoming posts.

Step 2

Put the tray in a jumbo plastic bag and secured a knot on it. Made sure the plastic was way above the dough to give it enough place to rise. By then the clock struck zero hour. Heard Dad yell from his bedroom, Kai chalay ajoon? Go to bed immediately. Like an obedient daughter [at My age ;) ] went straight to bed.

Step 3

With the fermenting going on could not sleep. Woke up at 4.30 am on Sunday. Got fresh. How I enjoy creating in a fantasy world around myself to get the feel of a pro. Opened the jumbo bag to see the dough doubled. It was a cold night so not too much rise in the dough else that could possibly make the bread collapse.

Step 4

Preheated the oven for 10 mins and thrust the tray into the oven. Set the timer for 45 mins. Went off to have a shower as it was 5.30 am already after instructing Dad to keep a watch on the oven.

It should have been just 30 mins baking time as the breads look extra browned. Next time it will be just 30 mins I decide.

A pleasant Sunday morning with fresh baked warm bread and a cuppa at 6.30 am. Pure bliss!

Also read

• Baking n Tweaking
• I'm Simply Exhausted
• Mumbai Special Pao