Recipe 38: Pecan Loaf

I going to quickly go through this one as I would consider it a bake fail though my tasters think differently!

I know the reason why it wasn't good, because this was the other bread I left to over prove and it was the last to go into the oven so when it came to the baking, it didn't rise in the oven, just stayed flat which was very disappointing!

One part of the process which was different was when it came to the shaping, you mixed the pecans into the dough after the rising process and then flatten the dough with your hands into a rough rectangle shape. Then roll it into a really tight sausage, I'm pretty sure I had to do this process twice (Sorry, did this two weeks ago now!) so made a change!

So, as I said the outcome I believe to be fail as it was falling back as I put it in the oven to bake which means it stayed the same height and didn't rise, serves me right for trying to bake 3 breads in a day and shopping for shoes!

Reviews? I also took this one to work and they loved them! I was worried they didn't look airy and looked a tad bit on the dough side to me but everyone really enjoyed them or they were just being nice! Either way, I think I got away with this fail!

Recipe 37: Cranberry and Stilton Bread

I really liked this recipe and the Cranberries in the bread gives it so much colour and the Stilton adds that little bit more taste!

I'm not going to go through all the details as it's pretty much the same as the others, mix all the ingredients together and then knead and leave to rise! Lucky, this wasn't one of the breads that I left to prove for ages, this was done on the good day!

Once the rise was over, you had to roll out into a rough rectangle which also knocks all the air out of the dough. Then like the Breakfast Rolls, sprinkle the cranberries and Stilton evenly over the dough and start to roll it up into a sausage.

I loved this next part, I don't know why – probably as I haven't done this yet so it was interesting to see how it would turn out! Very simple, once you have the long sausage roll, just swirl! It looks very pretty, I might try doing it with a plain white bread or something.

And then leave to prove! I really liked seeing the before and after of this dough as the swirl raised up and you could see the cranberries peaking through, looked really nice!

Then of course, time to bake!

Reviews? This one got some really nice compliments, a friend at work asked if I sold bread at farmer's markets which was probably the nicest thing someone has said about my baking to think it's good enough to sell at one of those! So pleased with that :)

P.S: I kinda liked how it left the swirl pattern on the baking tray!