Back to School...
So where is the connection???
There is something that is called a profession and then there is a passion...I'd call it my calling.
School has always been fascinating for me...only after I graduated from there, mind you...
The best part of school...children!
And the cacophony and the laughter and the arguments and the pressure an d the stress ...
I only realised how much I missed it all when I went back to school after 4 years and a day.
So I am back teaching...maths...to high school children...
What warmed my heart so much were the concerns of the people who follow my blog...
The blog stays...
I just have something more to do...
Like this whole wheat and milk bee hive bread.
It looks so pretty...a total attention grabber!
It will do so well on a dinner table, with various kinds of breads and rolls in its belly...so even if you run out of rolls..you can eat the container that contains the rolls!
And the Nigella seeds and Poppy seeds look really pretty!
The bread was soft and yummy and almost too pretty to eat...
This was for breakfast with mom and dad...we added salami and tomatoes and with this for good measure...
It was so easy to make...despite looking totally complicated,you'll never know until you try...
Like with everything else in life!
for the
Whole Wheat Bee Hive Bread and going Back To School...
you need
2 tsp dried yeast
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp soft butter
1/2-1 cup tepid to warm milk-save a little to brush the bread with before baking
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups plain flour/maida
1 tsp nigella seeds/kalonji
1 tsp poppy seeds/khus
A 1 1/2 l dome shaped bowl
butter/oil to grease the bowl
Start with the yeast. Blend half the sugar with a few tablespoons of warm milk in a small bowl and add the yeast. Gently mix together and set aside to froth.
In the mean while place the salt and flours and the remaining sugar in a large bowl...
The yeast is all nice and frothy by now...All you knead to do is knead the dough with the frothy yeast and warm milk.
Once the dough is done...knead in the half the soft butter into the dough...
After the butter is incorporated...just turn out the dough onto your worktop and knead till the dough is smooth and elastic...it took a vigorous 10 minutes...and mom was sympathetically telling me to not make the effort..mums...they want everything to just fall into your lap...Bless them!
Set aside for 15 minutes while you set up all else...The bowl, overturned on the baking tray and greased with olive oil...
The dough out on the work top again....cut into 16 pieces...why 16??easier to handle ...
And taking 2 pieces...roll them into a small rope...
And twist them to form a small rope...like so...
Place this to surround the bowl and wrap...make thin rolls of each piece and continue the rope...
Make more rope and roll around...till you reach the top!
Now cover the bee hive with cling film and let it prove...After about 20 minutes turn the oven on to 230C/450F and let it heat...
In about 10 minutes, brush the bee hive with some milk and sprinkle the seeds in whichever order...
Pop it into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes...I knocked on the hive with a spatula and heard a hollow knock...we knew the bread was ready to come out of the oven...
Brush the hot bread with the remaining butter to polish it...My brush was in my pantry...so we let the butter slip and slide in and on the bee hive...the warm yeasty bread aroma with butter melting...what could be a better breakfast???
That's the view from the bottom...we had to owl.wait about 10 minutes before we could peel the bee hive off the bowl with out breaking the bread of mum's bowl...sweet child came and went at least 10 times...Patience is not a virtue!
All in all,totally worth the effort...all the extra handling made the bread soft and crusty...really good to mop up the juices off the plate...
The crevices held the perfectly roasted seeds and melted butter...and warmth to surround your soul...Try something fancy...
Like the L'oreal Blurb...
You're worth it!
So what are you baking today???
Coming up...the best ever Sunday lunch Mutton Biryani...
Time spent the parents always makes food taste better!
Cheers!
