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Bread as code

Hey, have you heard of infrastructure as code? Well then you'll love my new proposal coming to a town near you if you can be bothered / compelled as I've been.

Of course I'm not serious, but why the hell are the instructions to make bread, so poor.

It's been a while since I made a loaf of bread, but I used to cook quite a lot, so I feel fairly confident in the kitchen. Yet it's just taken me three attempts to get passable bread, and It is annoying.

I remember not reading instructions when I used to cook. For some reason, twice I tried to follow the instructions to the letter. Well, to call the result sub-par would be an insult to things of sub-par quality.

My first two loaves had some issues. I used a square pyrex dish for the first, and didn't score the top, or leave to cool. I likely used way too much butter, because the instructions said to use 25g of butter, when making bread.

The second loaf was mildly funny, but totally inedible. Again I cut too soon without leaving to cool, I forgot to score, but at least it was partially bread shaped as I used a bread tin.

On my third attempt. I huffed and I puffed, and... Well, I just didn't read the damn instructions. Muscle memory went a lot better than instructions, and I had edible, but not perfect bread, and a hint to leave the damn thing alone for 2 hours before cutting into it.

I shall try again in the coming days, once I procure more flour.

Lessons learned

  • Warm water, yeast and sugar mix before flour.
  • No butter, lightly oil pan
  • Use your best judgement with salt in teaspoons.
  • Eyeball, rather than clock-time the dough doubling.
  • Score the top of the bread you make.
  • leave to cool for 2 hours before cutting or eating.

Things to try next-time

  • I wish to try steam to make the bread rise higher.
  • I'd like to experiment with herbs and seeds.
  • I'd like to experiment with flavours.

Goals

I want to make 99/100 consecutive loaves of bread, with a consistently positive outcome.

I'd like to try different shapes and flavours, like citrus infused bread.

I'd like to continue having fun, and not reading the instructions.

Perhaps once I've achieved consistency. Write some good instructions.

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