Parmesan and Italian Herb Bread

I am itching to make some bread during the holiday. I want to have bread which is very aromatic and taste great with or without spread.

After doing some researched and checking into my fridge, I've decided to bake Parmesan and Italian Herbs bread.  

I am pretty confident that this bread will not failed me because I have everything to make this.  The whole process was fun. My husband constantly coming in to the kitchen checking on me making sure I did not messed up the kitchen. I think he's secretly excited with the result as well.

The result is, the bread is very creamy and additive. The sundried tomatoes has added kick to this bread. Love it!

Ingredient

• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1/4 cup of butter (melted)
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 1/2 tbsp instant yeast
• 1/2 cup of grated parmesan
• 3-4 pieces of Sun-dried Tomatoes (optional)
• garlic powder
• Italian seasoning

 Direction

Grate Parmesan and set aside.

Instant yeast mixed with Hot water and set aside

Warm up milk and remove from heat. Add Salt, Sugar and Butter into the warm Milk. Set aside for cooling.  Make sure salt and sugar are disolved into the mixture.

Mixed Flour and Parmesan together.

Use the mixer, Flour and Parmersan and Milk mixture mixed together. Make sure it is nice mixed.

Add the yeast to the dough and slowly increase the speed to add more air to the dough for about 5 minutes.

Take out the mixed with dough from the mixer and set aside.  The dough will take 1 hour rise.  Take an oiled cling film or unused shower cap to cover it so that the dough would not stick to it.

Oil the loaf tray with some leftover butter.

Pour the dough into the tray. Fill the tray 3/4 full instead of full.  

Sprinkle the Garlic Powder and Italian Herbs on top of the dough. Cut the sun-dried tomatoes into small pieces and sprinkle on top.

Send the tray into the oven and bake for 175C for 30-35 minutes.  Use a toothpick and stick into the dough to make sure it will come out clean.

Let it cool on a cooling tray.

Irish Soda Bread

I like the idea of baking your own bread instead of buying it. Sometimes it is pretty hard to get a good loaf of bread suitable for soup or just tea.

Michael, my husband kept on bugging me of trying a few types of bread and he want firmed types of bread.

My first attempt in making this Irish Soda Bread. It is a pretty easy to make kind of bread and you don't need to wait for the yeast to work on the dough. Just make sure you don't over knead or mixed it.

Ingredient

• 170g Self-raising Wholemeal Flour
• 170g Plain Flour
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 1/2 table spoon of sugar (optional)
• 1/2 tsp Baking soda
• 1 1/2 cup buttermilk (if you do not have buttermilk, you can make a subtitute. See below)

Direction

Buttermilk 

If you cannot find Buttermilk from the supermarket,  you can make some on your own. Just use 1 1/2 cup of fresh milk and half a lemon juice.  Just let it wait for a few minutes.

Making the bread

Preheat oven at 200C

Add Flour, Baking Soda, Salt, Sugar in a Mixing Bowl. Stir it together so that everything is mixed.

Make a hole in the middle of the flour and pour 3/4 of the buttermilk into it. Slowly and gentle mixed it together. Mixed it quickly and do not take your time as the baking soda will work with the buttermilk once it is combined.

Your dough should be moist and not sticky. If it is too dry add additional buttermilk to it.

Add some flour on the solid counter and pour the dough onto it. Knead briefly.

Form into a round and flatten the dough slightly. Place it on a lightly floured baking sheet.

Cut a cross on top of the dough and bake it for about 30 minutes until the loaf sound hollow.

You can use a toothpick and stick into the loaf to make sure it is fully baked.

Cool it on a wire rack.

This bread will last for a few day.

Good luck baking!